Today is
Sunday July 26, 2026
LONGVIEW — A suspect believed to be connected to a weekend killing has been arrested. According to KETK, Cody Dewayne Fortman, 21, of Longview, was apprehended around 1:30 Monday afternoon. Investigators identified the suspect through the cooperation of a witness. Fortman has been charged with the murder of Nicholas Trevion Johnson, 22, of Longview. The victim was found early Sunday morning inside a home on Annette Drive with multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect was booked into the Gregg County Jail. His bond has been set at $175,000. Johnson’s death marked the sixth recorded homicide in Longview in 2017.
HOUSTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has refused an appeal from a man sent to death row for torturing and drowning an East Texas woman in his bathtub and then stuffing her body into a barrel with cement mix and lime before dumping it in a ravine. The high court, without comment Monday, declined to review arguments that 50-year-old Troy Clark had deficient legal help at his Smith County trial in 2000. Clark was condemned for the May 1998 slaying of a former roommate, 20-year-old Christina Muse of Tyler. Evidence showed Muse was hit with a stun gun, beaten, bound and kept in a closet before she was drowned at Clark’s Tyler home. Records indicate Clark and a friend were using and selling methamphetamine and were worried she would snitch on them.
LONGVIEW — A Longview man remains jailed for double-murder. According to KETK, the court decided to delay the trial of Kyron Templeton. He’s accused of fatally stabbing two people inside Good Shepherd Medical Center Ambulatory Surgical Center in Longview. The 26-year-old has been in prison on a 2.5 million dollar bond since the murders in 2013.The trial was scheduled to start today but the district judge granted a delay due to questions over Templeton’s mental competency. His lawyers say he is not competent to stand trial. Another hearing has been scheduled for December 8. A nurse, Gail Sandidge, 57, and a hospital visitor, Harris Teel, 82, were killed in the attack. Three other people were seriously injured.
MARSHALL — A pedestrian died after being struck by a pickup truck late Saturday on U.S. 59 about 3 miles outside Marshall. According to the Longview News-Journal, Gilbert Eugene Kasler, 42, of Marshall was struck at 11 p.m. by a northbound pickup driven by Andrea Janise Chaddwick, 45, of Shelbyville. The Texas Department of Public Safety said Kasler was pronounced dead at the scene.
MARSHALL — Cabot Norit Americas Inc. announced Tuesday it is eliminating about 40 positions from its activated carbon plant in Marshall. According to KETK, the decision was driven by the need to better match the business’s production capacity. “Unfortunately, I’m letting about 40 positions go today,” General Manager Gavin Barrack said. “It’s a market driven issue. The volumes we expected to come through have not come through. To protect the 95 plus jobs that will remain onsite we have to take this action. Demand for powdered activated carbon following the implementation of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) regulation has been lower than originally expected, resulting in overcapacity.
TYLER — The Tyler Professional Fire Fighters Association has announced that the City of Tyler Fire Department was awarded a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA.) Subject to Tyler City Council approval on Oct. 11, the SAFER Grant will provide the city with $1.58 million in funding over a three-year period for the hiring of an additional 12 fire fighters. Acceptance of the grant would be another step towards maintaining the city’s current favorable ISO Rating (Insurance Services Office), which saves residents and businesses millions of dollars on insurance premiums. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — A Longview woman has been charged after police said she ran over an officer’s leg while he was working security at the Longview Mall. According to KETK, Whitney Chevonne George, 30, was booked into the Gregg County Jail on $250,000 bond, charged with aggravated assault against a public servant in the Sept. 27 case. George told police she was parked in the fire lane at Dillard’s at the mall waiting for her cousin. Eventually, she said, she walked inside the store. When she and her cousin came out, they were confronted by a police officer in uniform. George said the officer asked her for identification and reached in and grabbed her car’s gear shift. Read the rest of this entry »
WINONA — Crash investigators have determined what led to a fatal crash in Winona. Two people died in the September 21 accident. According to KETK, the Department of Public Safety report stated the car involved was headed north on Highway 155 at an unsafe speed and the driver lost control of the vehicle while navigating a left curve. The car went into a side skid across both lanes, overturned and hit Uncle Mike’s Pizza Parlor. The car came to a stop upside down inside the building, where the vehicle caught on fire, along with the business. Both the driver and passenger died in the crash. They were later identified as Subhrajit Paul, 28, and Dhaval Bhatt, 34, of Frisco. The pizza parlor, which had only been open for six days, burned to the ground. he owners and their son living in an upstairs apartment were able to get out safely, however, five dogs died in the blaze.
LONGVIEW — A Longview woman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after shooting her father in the face twice and failing to follow probationary terms. According to KETK, in June 2013, Tabetha Evans, 28, shot her father, Carlos Warren, three times with a .38 revolver. He was struck by bullets twice in the face and once in the abdomen, but he survived the shooting. Evans was caught by law enforcement walking away from the crime scene carrying a tote bag. The gun was located inside the bag. She was using drugs at the time of the offense. In December 2013, Evans pleaded guilty to aggravated assault against a family member and was placed on ten years deferred probation with intensive in-patient drug treatment as a condition, stated the Gregg County District Attorney’s Office. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — A Longview man has been arrested following a warrant for animal cruelty. Curtis William Taylor, 31, was arrested on October 6 around 3:30. On September 27, the Longview Police Department was contacted about a cat that had been intentionally injured. Police said Taylor had become upset with the cat because she had scratched his puppy across the nose and a short time later attacked the puppy again. Taylor then struck the cat with a baseball bat. The veterinarian said the cat, Anastasia, had a fracture on the left side of her skull and her left eye had to be removed. Anastasia is recovering with her owner John Mills. Taylor remains in Gregg County jail without bond.
LONGVIEW — A Longview man has been charged with intoxication manslaughter after a deadly wreck Friday night. The crash happened around 10:15 on Eastman Road. Police said Corie Michael Murray, 27, was heading north when he drifted into oncoming traffic, hitting a vehicle head-on. That driver, Lanette Andrews, 47, and the passenger, her mother, Billie Griffin Andrews, 64, both from Woodville, were taken to a local hospital. Billie Andrews died as a result of her injuries. Lanette Andrews was treated for non-life threatening injuries. Murray refused medical treatment at the scene and was arrested for intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle, intoxication assault with serious bodily injury and possession of marijuana. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail on $51,000.00 bond. He was previously arrested July, 9 for possession of marijuana.
WOOD COUNTY — A federal lawsuit has been filed on behalf of eight people against former Wood County Sheriff James Brown, former Wood County Sheriff’s Office Captain Miles Tucker, several current and former Wood County deputies and Jerry Wayne Boone for unconstitutional use of excessive force, illegal arrest and state claims. According to KETK, the suit is based on the shootings of Winston Forrester and his father John Forrester on November 2, 2015. The two were reportedly accessing their oil well that was situated on the former sheriff’s property. Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS — Several East Texas counties are moving forward with lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors. The Smith County Commissioners Court has hired two law firms to pursue such litigation. Upshur County has already become the first in the state to file such a lawsuit, demanding financial help to deal with the cost of treating addicts in the county’s jail and indigent health program. An attorney representing Upshur County says drug companies share some responsibility for pushing their products. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report Rusk County has also agreed to join the litigation. Similar lawsuits have been filed in other states, and other counties in Texas are expected to do likewise.
GRAND SALINE — Grand Saline Police Chief Justin Collins has resigned from his post following his Tuesday afternoon arrest. According to KETK, Collins turned himself in and was charged with theft of property. He immediately bonded out of jail. The Grand Saline Police Department in July confirmed Collins had been placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation. Texas Municipal Police Association Executive Director Kevin Lawrance said a “litany” of complaints had been lodged against Chief Collins. Some of the complaints are policy issues and more serious matters are criminal in nature. This includes possible fraud, theft and abuse of capacity.
TYLER — Tyler Junior College police are investigating a reported sexual assault. According to KETK, police received a report of a sexual assault in an on-campus dorm on September 28. An alert was sent out by the TJC Alert system following the report. Police say the investigation is ongoing and students should use caution with unknown persons. Additional information was not available.
TYLER — Former mayor and longtime civic leader Barbara Bass made it clear she didn’t do it alone as she was honored Tuesday with the T.B. Butler Award as Tyler’s most outstanding citizen — given each year at the annual meeting of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. While thanking the Chamber for the honor, Bass told attendees, “When we work together as a community, we not only change this community for the greater good — but we change the lives of people around us. Folks — it is about community.” Bass also stressed the importance of her religious faith in her community endeavors. Read the rest of this entry »
FORT DRUM, N.Y. (AP) – U.S. Army officials say a soldier from Texas serving with the 10th Mountain Division’s Louisiana-based brigade combat team has been killed by an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Officials at Fort Drum in northern New York say Spc. Alexander Missildine, 20, Tyler, was killed Sunday when an IED detonated near his convoy. Missildine served with the division’s 710th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The division’s other two brigade combat teams are based at Fort Drum. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON COUNTY – Numerous law enforcement agencies are searching for the armed suspect accused of assaulting a deputy. It started Thursday night when a Henderson County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped to check on a suspicious man walking on FM 607 south of Leaugeville. The suspect reportedly struck the deputy in the face with a pistol and ran. The deputy was treated and released from the hospital. The suspect is described as a white man wearing dark clothing and should be considered armed and dangerous. Henderson County Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information to the suspects arrest.
GREGG COUNTY — A Kilgore man is back in jail to face intoxication manslaughter charges. According to the Longview News-Journal, Thomas Elliot Henkel, 34, is accused of causing a wreck June 8, 2016, on Loop 281 that killed 16-year-old Lauren Elrod of Harleton. He had been on the lam since failing to appear in court Aug. 11. Henkel was arrested Wednesday, and 124th District Judge Alfonso Charles increased his bond to $250,000. He is scheduled to appear in court again Oct. 6. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON COUNTY — A Tyler man has been charged with murder following a Wednesday night shooting. Dennis Odell Metcalf, 40, was found at a home in Chandler and surrendered to deputies without incident. He reportedly admitted to fatally shooting a 24-year-old man from Murchison. Metcalf was booked into jail. Bond has not been set. The unidentified man’s body was sent to Dallas for autopsy. No word on a motive.
LONGVIEW — A Texas man was busted in Longview allegedly moving more than two pounds of heroin on a bus. According to KETK, on August 16, the County Organized Drug Enforcement Unit, assisted by a DPS K-9 unit, was checking for drug trafficking on a bus owned by Tornado Bus Lines when the discovery was made. Law enforcement found about 2.5 pounds of heroin in possession of Daniel Miranda, 42, of Carrollton. The suspect was arrested and charged with manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail. Miranda was released two days later on $100,000 bond.
EAST TEXAS — Two men are sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking. 40-year-old Quentin Brown of Gilmer and 23-year-old Saihaine Freeman of Longview (pictured) pleaded guilty May 30th to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. Brown was sentenced to 144 months, Freeman was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison. The two were sentenced Tuesday.
EAST TEXAS — An East Texas oil worker has been abducted in Yemen. According to KETK, it reportedly happened in a busy street, in the middle of the day. Danny Burch, 62, moved to Yemen about 15 years ago. He was working in the oil field as a mechanic. Friends of Burch said he grew up in White Oak and lived in Kilgore for years. Danny’s family isn’t sure why he was abducted. But with a military background, his brother Ron believes Danny is being held to barter for another prisoner of war.
KILGORE — A 62-year-old Kilgore man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after officials said he inappropriately touched a 6-year-old child multiple times, according to the Longview News-Journal. Roy Lynn Avance was charged with two counts of indecency with a child. He pleaded guilty to both counts and was sentenced this past week in the 124th District Court by Judge Alfonso Charles, court records show. In addition to his prison sentence, Charles ordered Avance to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
SMITH COUNTY — A 28-year-old man has been arrested following a Sunday afternoon shooting. It happened around 4:30 at a home on Southern Trace Circle in Flint. One person was shot in the leg following a domestic dispute. Paul Jordan, Flint, was booked into the Smith County Jail on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Bond has not been set.
LONGVIEW – A suspect has been arrested in a Longview homicide. Booked into the Gregg County Jail on the murder charge is Dominique Shaquille Harvey, 22, of Longview. He is charged in the shooting death of Cameron Taye Brooks, 19, of Tyler. He was a student at Tyler Junior College. It happened around 1:00 Thursday morning at the Highland Village Apartments on West Loop 281. Police say Brooks was found dead in the roadway. The death is Longview’s 5th of the year.
WINONA — Two people have died following a crash into a building, which then sparked a fire. It happened around 4:30 Thursday morning at Uncle Mike’s Pizza and Pasta on Main Street in Winona. According to the Department of Public Safety, the vehicle was traveling north on Hwy 155 when it veered off and crashed into the building. According to KETK, the driver and passenger in the vehicle were killed. Positive identity has not been made due to the extent of the blaze. Multiple fire crews were at the scene. Four dogs inside the building, which was destroyed, also died in the fire — but five puppies, each a day old, were saved. The restaurant owners and their son, who had been living upstairs, also escaped. The incident remains under investigation.
GILMER — A Gilmer woman faces criminal charges in two counties after police said she took a merchandise-filled shopping cart out of a Longview Walmart without paying, that’s according to the Longview News-Journal. Gabrielle Nichole Gillaspy, 19, was arrested Tuesday at the Walmart on Gilmer Road, where Longview police said she stole items valued at $632. Officers said they also found two small green pills later identified as Clonazepam while searching Gillaspy, who gave a fake name and date of birth. Read the rest of this entry »
WHITE OAK — The White Oak Police Department said an East Texas woman who they say was kidnapped overnight by her ex-boyfriend has been found safe. According to KETK, Melissa Maythe Zapata, 19, was taken from her home by her ex-boyfriend, Dylon Benefield, 21, around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. Benefield is said to be a member of the Southside Bloods gang. The investigation is ongoing.
TYLER — The Tyler Independent School District School Board met last night to discuss the possible name change of Robert E. Lee High School. According to KETK, no “official” decision has been made. Residents on both sides of the issue got a chance to voice their concerns. At the meeting, one school board member commented that if a vote to change the name of Robert E. Lee is made, other schools like John Tyler High School should also be changed. Because of their connection to slavery, some say anything named after Lee or Tyler should be renamed. This follows a recent school board meeting where community members argued for and against the Robert E. Lee High School name. 43 people spoke on the subject at the August 21 meeting. Read the rest of this entry »