Today is
Tuesday November 26, 2024
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TYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday the names of two people employed by the county are being used in recent phone scams. According to our news partner KETK, the caller will say he is either Sgt. Tim Jones or Sgt. Justin Hall and will claim to be with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office civil processing division, needing to discuss an urgent matter. Authorities say the discussion always ends with the victim owning money.
Officials say in a release that, “The Smith County Sheriff’s Office employs both a Sgt. Tim Jones and Sgt. Justin Hall, but their names are just being used for the purpose of scamming individuals,†officials said. “If you receive a call from anyone advising that they are a law enforcement official and you owe money, please just hang up.â€
If you want to verify a scam, your asked to call the sheriff’s office non-emergency number at 903-566-6600.
TYLER – It has 30 days since Harley Morris of Tyler disappeared. The Tyler Police Department said there is no new information on the missing 29-year-old. According to our news partner KETK, Morris was last seen Jan. 21 leaving the 50 Grand Club in Tyler about 3 a.m.
Andy Erbaugh, Public Information Officer for Tyler PD, said “Unless we know where to look, or put the drones or send the dogs, then we don’t have a location and nowhere to send them. Game wardens have been assisting us with their drones looking at wooded areas and just last weekend the game wardens were out with their drones looking and certain areas.â€
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AUSTIN – Thursday Gov. Greg Abbott announced the reappointment of Gary Halbrooks as the presiding officer of the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority. According to a release from the governors office, Halbrooks, whose a Tyler native, is president and CEO of Venue Properties Inc. He has served as a Smith County appointee on the NET RMA since 2012 and has been the presiding officer since 2021. The NET RMA serves to finance, acquire, design, construct, operate, maintain and expand transportation projects in 14 counties in North Texas.
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LIVINGSTON (AP) — A family friend accused of killing 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham was supposed to take the Texas girl to her school bus stop when they left her home in his vehicle nearly a week before authorities found her body in a river, according to court documents released Wednesday. A large rock was tied to her body when search teams found it Tuesday in the Trinity River in a rural area north of Houston about 10 miles from her home, according to the capital murder criminal complaint filed Tuesday against Don Steven McDougal.
Audrii’s family reported her missing on Feb. 15 when she failed to return to her Livingston home after school. Investigators discovered that she never got on the bus to go to school that morning.
McDougal, 42, lived in a camper on the family’s property near the shore of Lake Livingston and had previously taken Audrii to the bus stop or to school when she missed the bus, according to Polk County Sheriff Byron Lyons.
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CARTHAGE – Carthage Independent School District announced Tuesday they are welcoming a new director of safety and security. According to our news partner KETK, Darrin Peeples joins the district after being a Texas Game Warden for almost 14 years. Peeples has a bachelor’s in agriculture leadership and development from Texas A&M University.
Carthage ISD Superintendent Jarrod Bitter said, “We are thrilled to welcome Darrin Peeples to our team as the Director of Safety and Security. His extensive background in law enforcement and specialization in school safety makes him an incredibly valuable asset to our district. I look forward to working with Mr. Peeples to ensure the safety and security of our students, staff, and community.â€
Peeples also obtained certificates from Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, EMS training and as an ALICE active threat trainer.
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WINNSBORO – Winnsboro ISD and the Texas High School Bass Association report that a student died after passing out at the weigh-in Saturday for the Lake Bob Sandlin bass tournament. According to our news partner KETK, school officials said that Kale Robinson, a junior, passed out during the tournament weigh-in and was taken to an area hospital where he died later.
A statement from Winsboro ISD said, “It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the sudden and tragic loss of one of our Winnsboro High School students. Our entire Winnsboro ISD family is devastated by this heartbreaking news. Tomorrow, we will have counselors and local area youth pastors available at the high school to provide support for our students and staff as we navigate through this difficult time together. Please know that we are here for you, and we will do everything we can to help you through this. As a community, we are mourning this loss, and we will come together not only as a school but as a community to support each other during this incredibly challenging time. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of our beloved student. #WinnsboroStrong“
According to the THSBA, Robinson had fished with the association for three years and had caught his personal best on Saturday.
JACKSONVILLE – The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said that an arrest has been made in connection to the shooting death of a 17-year-old Wednesday night in Maydelle. According to our news partner KETK, 20-year-old Isiah Mallord of Jackonville was arrested for murder and is being held at a local hospital in stable condition before he is transported to the Cherokee County Jail. Authorities say that Wednesday night on CR 1804 in Maydelle, Mallord got into a fight with Jayden Polk, a Jacksonville High School student. That fight escalated into the shooting in which deputies found Polk dead. Mallord was taken to a hospital for treatment by private transport for his gunshot wound.
Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson said “It’s a devastating event for our community. We’ve got a 17-year-old kid who is deceased over something stupid. It was a situation that didn’t have to happen and it turned deadly.â€
MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department said that they’ve arrested a 23-year-old woman following allegations of an “improper relationship between a teacher and a 16-year-old student†at a Marshall ISD school. According to our news partner KETK, Margaret Claire Burris of Marshall was arrested Saturday morning after a search warrant executed on a student’s cell phone revealed text messages and photos exchanged between Burris and the student were inappropriate, and at times explicit.
Marshall ISD superintendent Dr. Richard Langley, reportedly found out about the texting accusations Tuesday morning. The teacher accused was placed on immediate administrative leave. Following her arrest, Burris was charged with an improper relationship between educator and student. She is currently in Harrison County Jail on a $20,000 bond.
TYLER – The second person wanted for murder in Tyler has been arrested. According to our news partner KETK, a 16-year-old minor boy was arrested by law enforcement in Anderson County late Friday afternoon. He is currently in the Smith County Juvenile Detention Center. The teen was arrested in the death of 20-year-old Nathan Martin of Tyler. Martin was found on the shoulder of Highway 69 North near CR 489 Feb. 7 with an apparent fatal gunshot wound. Also arrested was 25-year-old Joshua Bryant of Unk. Bryant was arrested Feb. 8 for capital murder and was booked into the Smith County Jail on a $1 million bond.
LIVINGSTON — The Texas Department of Public Safety said that they’ve arrested one of the persons of interest involved in the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl last seen in Livingston on Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, 42-year-old Don Steven McDougal was reportedly arrested Friday on an unrelated aggravated assault charge. However, officials believe that McDougal’s dark blue 2003 Chevrolet Suburban was involved in the disappearance of Audrii Cunningham. Authorities say that while McDougal has been talking to investigators, he has not confessed to anything.
Audrii was last seen Thursday around 7 a.m. In Livingston on Lakeside Drive. She is described as being approximately 75 pounds, 4’11, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was reportedly last seen wearing a black hoodie with white lettering, camo backpack, black pants and black high top tennis shoes.
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MARSHALL – Marshall ISD said that they’ve placed a teacher on administrative leave after they were accused of “inappropriate text communication with a student.†According to our news partner KETK, Marshall ISD superintendent Dr. Richard Langley, reportedly found out about the texting accusations Tuesday morning. The teacher accused was placed on immediate administrative leave. The Marshall Police Department have opened an investigation and more information will be released when the investigation is complete.