Man pleads guilty of attempted capital murder after shooting officer in 2018

LONGVIEW — A shot police officer’s assailant , pleaded guilty, Thursday, to attempted capital murder charges. Randy Carl Jeffrey, 34, of Mount Pleasant, admitted he shot a Longview officer, William Smeltzer, several times, just before Christmas Eve in 2018. Officer Smeltzer sustained non-life-threatening injuries and returned fire in pursuit of Jeffrey, who was hit, and jailed after being treated. Per standard procedure, the Texas Rangers investigated the incident and cleared Officer Smeltzer, of any wrongdoing. Likewise, a grand jury unanimously found Smeltzer’s use of force appropriate and warranted.