Wills Point man gets 25 years for mother’s murder

WILLS POINT – Our news partners at KETK report a Wills Point man who was accused of murdering his elderly mother pleaded guilty in May and was sentenced to 25 years of incarceration on Thursday. According to the Van Zandt County District Attorney’s office, Gerald Wayne Powell was sentenced to 25 years on Thursday with 1,144 days credit that he’s already served. In April of 2021, Van Zandt County law enforcement was notified by Powell’s sister that he had killed a family pet and that he was planning to kill their mother. Law enforcement reported that they surrounded Powell’s home and began negotiations with him using a bullhorn and phone.

According to the former Van Zandt County Sheriff Steve Hendrix, Powell claimed that he was heavily armed and would harm law enforcement. Hendrix said that during the negotiations they learned that lived with his mother, was a veteran and claimed to be suffering from PTSD.

Law enforcement reported that Powell eventually surrendered himself and they discovered his 91-year-old mother shot to death in the home afterward.