Cherokee County Burglary Suspect Arrested

JACKSONVILLE — Cherokee County authorities have arrested a suspect in a store burglary. It happened just before 2:00 Saturday morning at The Corner Store, located at the intersection of Farm Road 747 and County Road 3119 near Lake Jacksonville. Responding to an alarm, deputies found the front door glass to the store had been shattered. Investigators discovered that the suspect ran into the door and had possibly suffered a cut to his head or face when leaving through the shattered glass door. DNA was collected at the scene. Later arrested was Derick Joe Dale Kemp.

After viewing surveillance video footage, A suspect and vehicle description was obtained and broadcast to the surrounding Law Enforcement Agencies. Around 3:30, Jacksonville police stopped a vehicle matching the description of the suspects vehicle. Deputies arrived at their location and confirmed the vehicle and suspect as matching what was observed on the video. Deputies also observed a laceration to the top of the suspects head, which investigators believe will be consistent with the evidence collected at the scene.

Kemp admitted to having broke into The Corner Store, but denied any involvement with other burglaries in the area since he moved to Jacksonville, from the Houston area, approximately 8 days earlier. Kemp was arraigned for one count of burglary of a building by Justice of the Peace, Pct 1, Judge Brenda Dominy. Bond was set at $10,000 for the charge, which is a State Jail Felony.