Body Remains Found in Smith County Identified

TYLER — Since the recovery of burned human remains on Smith County Road 371 last Friday morning, Smith County detectives have worked around the clock in an attempt to locate the body of the victim, according to a sheriff’s office news release. And now authorities say they have identified the victim and found the body. He has been identified as Marion Lee Brown, 53, of Parker County near Weatherford. He was identified by fingerprint comparison which was made by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit. That information was forwarded to Shreveport, Louisiana authorities associated with this investigation. The body subsequently recovered in Cross Lake in Shreveport last Saturday was that of Brown.

Shortly after 4:15 last Friday afternoon, a burned vehicle was recovered off Lavender Road north of Interstate 20 which was believed to belong to the victim. A potential victim was identified as detectives sifted through burned debris. According to officials, that potentially identified victim has not returned to his residence in Parker County, west of Ft. Worth, nor has he returned to work since this string of events occurred.

Detectives from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office traveled to the Parker County and Ft. Worth area this past Friday and as late as Tuesday in an attempt to turn up additional evidence and clues in the investigation. All investigative leads and all investigative procedures available to detectives are being utilized in this investigation, according to the news release.

During a press briefing last Friday, Sheriff Larry Smith reported that he believed there would be at least three separate crime scenes. Officials say that information was derived from the evidence Sheriff Smith and detectives observed at the original scene on County Road 371. That scene was obviously a scene at which the suspects discarded valuable evidence obviously subsequent to cleaning up the original homicide scene, according to authorities. Evidence was recovered from that scene which officials say strongly indicates this original homicide occurred within a motel room or residential type structure.

Authorities say other electronic information is being utilized to track the path of the victim since last Thursday, the day prior to the homicide. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Texas Rangers this past Friday due to numerous jurisdictions being involved. The use of the Texas Rangers, who have statewide jurisdiction, is said to be of tremendous value in the collection of evidence from the multiple counties involved in this investigation.

Prior to the discovery this past Friday, no law enforcement entity even knew that a homicide had occurred, according to the news release. Sheriff Smith credits what he terms the painstaking crime scene processing of that charred scene by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit as well as numerous detectives with being as far in this investigation as authorities are. Officials say there was little information to work with at that scene, but due to what’s termed the tedious and meticulous processing of that scene, a potential victim was identified, which authorities say allowed detectives to take the next steps in the investigation. This information also reportedly allowed detectives to link that crime scene with the scene where the burning vehicle reportedly belonging to the victim was recovered.

Authorities say a search of Brown’s residence in Parker County was conducted by the Parker County Sheriff’s Office as well as Texas Rangers, who are said to have been in constant contact with Smith County detectives. Smith County detectives learned on Sunday morning that a body had been recovered from Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana. Smith County detectives contacted Shreveport detectives and at first were told the victim apparently died as the result of a boat propeller.

Any citizen or law enforcement agency with any information that may be beneficial to this investigation is asked to call the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at 903-566-6600 and provide their contact number as well. Officials say the information will be forwarded immediately to Smith County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sergeant Clint Benson.

Prior to the discovery on Smith County Rd. 371 this past Friday, no law enforcement entity even knew that a homicide had occurred, according to the news release. Sheriff Smith credits what he terms the painstaking crime scene processing of that charred scene by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit as well as numerous detectives with being as far in this investigation as authorities are. Officials say there was little information to work with at that scene, but due to what’s termed the tedious and meticulous processing of that scene, a potential victim was identified, which authorities say allowed detectives to take the next steps in the investigation. This information also reportedly allowed detectives to link that crime scene with the scene where the burning vehicle reportedly belonging to the victim was recovered.

Authorities say a search of the possible victim’s residence in Parker County was conducted by the Parker County Sheriff’s Office as well as Texas Rangers, who are said to have been in constant contact with Smith County detectives. Smith County detectives learned on Sunday morning that a body had been recovered from Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana. Smith County detectives contacted Shreveport detectives and at first were told the victim apparently died as the result of a boat propeller.

Smith County detectives contacted the Caddo Parrish coroner’s office Tuesday and forwarded a photograph of the potential victim associated with the Smith County investigation. The coroner made a tentative identification by facial recognition alone. According to authorities, no positive identification has been made at this time, so no identification will be released until that has been achieved. This is in the investigative process now, possibly by dental records as well as DNA, according to officials. Sheriff Smith stated, “This investigation is going to require a concerted effort among multiple law enforcement jurisdictions working closely together to bring it to a successful conclusion.”

Any citizen or law enforcement agency with any information that may be beneficial to this investigation is asked to call the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at (903) 566-6600 and provide their contact number as well. Officials say the information will be forwarded immediately to Smith County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sergeant Clint Benson.