Gilmer spa busted for prostitution

GILMER – Our KETK News Partners report that The Gilmer Police Department busted a local massage spa for prostitution on Monday in an operation they named “Operation Not So Happy Ending.”

AA Spa at 1324 Highway 271 North in Gilmer was initially investigated after Gilmer PD received information about alleged prostitution happening there.

On Monday, they launched “Operation Not So Happy Ending” by sending in an undercover officer. The operation reportedly led directly to the arrests of two women, Kun Lu and Zhai Li.

According to Gilmer PD, Lu was arrested for a massage therapy license violation and Li was arrested for prostitution and a massage therapy license violation. Gilmer PD added that the AA Spa has been shutdown following their operation.

“This type of criminal conduct is commonly associated with human trafficking/sex trafficking. The Gilmer Police Department continues to take an active role in deterring this type of criminal behavior in our community.”

Committee calls for suspension of Palestine Westwood football coach

PALESTINE – Our KETK News partners report that Westwood ISD has confirmed that the District 9-3A Division I District Executive Committee has recommended the suspension of their head football coach following reports that he filmed opponents while scouting.

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has reported that coach Richard Bishop was suspended and that the school will have to forfeit all their district football games from this season but the district told KETK that the District Executive Committee (DEC) has only recommended those steps to the UIL’s State Executive Committee.

Dave Campbell’s said that Bishop allegedly carried out a plan to record their opponents signals, a plan that the DEC allegedly said was “intentional, serious and egregious.”

Westwood ISD Superintendent Wade Stanford told KETK that they’re planning to appeal these charges at an upcoming meeting.

East Texas man arrested after DNA links him to 16-year-old homicide cold case

LUFKIN – Our news partner, KETK, reports that an East Texas man was arrested earlier this month after DNA sample collected in 2008 identified him as suspect in a homicide cold case.

The Grand Prairie Police Department and Fire Department responded to a structure fire on the evening of Aug. 8, 2008 in the 2600 block of Channing Drive. Officials said they located a body later identified as 45-year-old Raymond Hernandez inside the residence.

An autopsy would later rule Hernandez’s death as a homicide.

In November 2008, DNA from a possible suspect was collected and entered into the Combined DNA Index System, also known as CODIS. However, there was no matching DNA in CODIS of the suspect.
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One dead, one charged with murder after Tyler restaurant shooting

UPDATE: TYLER – Our KETK news partner reports that a 54-year-old man was charged with first degree murder after an argument at a Tyler restaurant escalated to a shooting death.

According to Tyler Police Department Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh, the victim was identified as Heriberto Ramirez, 38 of Tyler.

Witnesses told police that Scottie Lee Goble, 54 of Frost, shot Ramirez after they got into a physical altercation. Erbaugh said Ramirez died from his injuries at a local hospital.

Goble was booked into the Smith County Jail for murder and is being held on a $500,000 bond.
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Big Sandy woman sentenced to three years after defrauding business

UPSHUR COUNTY – Our KETK news partners report that A Big Sandy woman has been sentenced to prison for nearly three years after pleading guilty to wire fraud on Wednesday. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Texas, 52-year-old Tamarisk Trejo Mathews will face 33 months in prison for wire fraud. Mathews was responsible for accounting duties of a restaurant and music venue in Wood County allowing her access to the financial accounts of the business and issue checks to creditors. (more…)

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