Human Remains Case Shifts Focus; Possible Suspects Identified

TYLER — Officials now say the Parker County man whose partial remains were found May 23 in northeastern Smith County was probably killed in Fort Worth — and two possible suspects have been identified. In what they say will be their final news release on the item, Smith County authorities say Fort Worth officials will head up the investigation from this point. The body of 54-year-old Marion Lee Brown was recovered in Cross Lake in Shreveport last weekend.

According to a Smith County Sheriff’s Office news release issued Friday, SCSO Criminal Investigation Division detectives, assigned to what is now known as the Marion Lee Brown homicide investigation, developed information which identified potential suspects in the probe. The release says, “This information was developed as a result of the examination of the voluminous evidence collected by Smith County and Shreveport, Louisiana detectives since the investigation began last Friday. That information was forwarded to the Ft. Worth Police Department Homicide Division, who as a result of the information provided by both Smith County Sheriff’s Office and the Shreveport Police Department, were able to obtain an evidentiary search warrant for a residential location in Ft. Worth.”

The release continues, “Smith County Sheriff’s Office detectives were in close and constant contact yesterday afternoon with the Ft. Worth homicide investigators once the Smith County detectives uncovered the information which allowed for the identification of two suspects as well as the potential original crime scene address. Once the search warrant was executed, the Ft. Worth Police Department Crime Scene Unit as well as their homicide division were successful in identifying a crime scene at that location, within their jurisdiction, that is potentially the original homicide scene. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office will defer to the Ft. Worth Police Department for any additional information and press releases regarding this case as they have primary jurisdiction now in this investigation.”

Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith stated, “We will continue to provide any assistance we can to the Ft. Worth Police Department in a support role in this investigation.” Sheriff Smith went on to say that this investigation has been an outstanding example of what can be accomplished when multiple jurisdictions are able to exchange information and work together for the common good. Smith added, “I would like to take this opportunity to commend the twelve detectives, the initial responding Smith County Sheriff’s Office Patrol deputies and anyone else in the Sheriff’s Office for an outstanding effort in this investigation.”