Phone location data leads to arrests of homicide suspects

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK say that a burning car was found with the 20-year-old owner’s body in the trunk and now arrest documents for three people accused of his murder reveal phone records led to their arrests. Shortly before 5 a.m. on Sept. 1, a vehicle was reported to be on fire on CR 4132 and CR 4135 in Turnertown. The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office said after the fire was put out they located human remains inside. 20-year-old Kameron Montre Anderson from Bedford was identified as a shooting victim and owner of the vehicle during a press conference on Saturday. During the same press conference, Rusk County and Smith County officials said two adults and a juvenile were arrested in connection to the murder.

Through a joint investigation, the counties sheriff’s offices identified Nathaniel Hall, 18 of Troup, as a person of interest. Investigators obtained cell phone records and discovered that Anderson and Hall started communicating on Aug. 31, arrest documents said.

According to the affidavit, cell phone records show that Anderson travelled from Bedford down I-20 on Aug. 31 and was in constant contact with Hall until getting to Hall’s Smith County residence. Cell phone location data allegedly shows Anderson at Hall’s residence at around 2:30 a.m.

“Hall shows no more cell phone data between the hours of around 4:05 a.m. to around 5:31 a.m., which from my training and experience means he shut off his cell phone,” the detective who wrote the affidavit said.

The arrest documents said Anderson’s phone was seen going from Hall’s residence to Turnertown and it’s last data activity was at around 4:50 a.m. It was then at 5:31 a.m. that Hall’s phone came back on in the Turnertown area, the affidavit said.

Hall was arrested by the Tyler Police Department on Wednesday during a traffic stop and was found to be armed with a stolen firearm.

Officials then acquired a search warrant for Hall’s home where they discovered several casings on the property as well as a witness.

The affidavit said Hall’s relative told officials that Hall was hanging out with two of his friends and heard them talking about robbing someone. One of the friends was identified as 21-year-old Jasmine Faith Williams of Tyler.

The relative said a vehicle arrived at the residence at around 1:40 a.m. and while inside they heard a gunshot and then another, according to the affidavit. The relative then reportedly heard Hall, Williams, and their 16-year-old friend run inside the home and say they killed a guy.

During the Wednesday traffic stop, an individual in the vehicle had said Williams had told them she had recently shot someone but then said she was joking.

Williams was surrendered to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office by her mother on Friday and she is being held on a $1,000,000 bond for capital murder.