Tyler man indicted for beating friend unconscious

TYLER — A Tyler man has been indicted in the case of seven people beating a friend unconscious and leaving him in a ditch for allegedly being a “snitch.” According to our news partner KETK, Daymond Gray, 18, is the first to be indicted in the case. Jesus Tinoco, 17, was also charged, but has yet to be indicted. KETK News is withholding the name of the victim for privacy reasons. A warrant obtained by KETK in April said that Victor Villegas was at the victim’s house because he was dating his sister. The couple began arguing so the victim called the police. Officers arrested Villegas at the scene because he already had a warrant out for his arrest. The victim identified Gray in a police line-up of photos because he had only known him for a few weeks. Police found a security video of the seven men beating him, but it did not show the suspects’ faces. Two days after the assault, Alexander visited Victor in prison and told him on a recorded phone call that “[the victim] was pistol-whipped.” That same day, Urrutia also confirmed the robbery on a recorded jail phone call, according to the warrant. He told Villegas that they threw the victim into the ditch. He didn’t want to give any more details “because the phone was recorded.” While Gray and Tinoco have been charged, there is no arrest record for Urrutia or Alexander Villegas available online. The documents also did not offer potential identities for the other three men at the scene.