Police Beat-Henderson County Now

Pair Arrested In Payne Springs

Press release

On January 25 at approximately 8:15 a.m., Henderson County Deputy Kenny Collard and Henderson County Sergeant Mitch Baker responded to a call regarding a suspicious vehicle at the Stop Fast Marina in Payne Springs. The deputies arrived to find two subjects asleep in the vehicle.

After the subjects were removed from the vehicle, Dylan Jack Little from Crandall, Texas was found to be in possession of a clear baggie of crystal-like substance the deputies believed to be methamphetamine. Continue reading “Pair Arrested In Payne Springs”

Cherokee Shores Man Shot, Charged With Attempted Murder After Firing at Officers

Press release

On January 22, at approximately 9:56 p.m., Henderson County Deputies arrived at a residence in the 200 block of North Cherokee Shores Drive in Cherokee Shores in response to a domestic disturbance involving a firearm called in from the residence. Upon arrival, deputies met the female caller outside the residence and were told that during an argument, Steven Clement Rei had displayed a 9mm handgun.

Rei confronted the deputies, who were still outside the residence, with a shotgun and the deputies took cover. Rei fired the shotgun at one of the deputies who returned fire striking Rei. Rei was transported to ETMC Tyler and is listed in stable condition. Neither the deputies nor the original caller were injured during the exchange. Continue reading “Cherokee Shores Man Shot, Charged With Attempted Murder After Firing at Officers”

Two Arrested Near Lake Palestine

Press release

On Friday, January 16, Henderson County Sheriff Office Sergeant Jeromey Rose along with Deputy Linus Moulton and Deputy Daniel Wright arrived to a residence off of Henderson County Road 4117 near Lake Palestine in an attempt to serve an arrest warrant on Michael House.

While inside the residence, Sgt. Rose observed Michael House in the bedroom area of the travel trailer as well as drug paraphernalia. Michael was placed into custody for the arrest warrant at that time.

During a search of the bedroom where the paraphernalia was located, there was also a quantity of suspected methamphetamine located inside of the bedroom.

Donna Higgins was placed into custody. Higgins and House were transported to the Henderson County Jail where Higgins was booked in for Possession of Controlled Substance PG 1 -4G a Third degree Felony and House was booked in for the active arrest warrant for Possession of Controlled Substance, a State Jail Felony.

Frankston Man Receives 40 Year Sentence for Sexual Assault

Screenshot 2015-01-13 at 1 — Robbie Glenn Smith

Press release

On Monday, January 12, Robbie Glenn Smith, 66, formerly of Frankston, was sentenced to 40 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for Continuous Sexual Assault of a Child.

Smith will never be eligible for parole because the 40 year sentence must be served day for day according to District Attorney Scott McKee. Smith will be 106 when his sentence expires.

District Attorney Scott McKee and Assistant District Attorneys Mark Hall and Nancy Rumar prosecuted the case. Smith was indicted after an investigation by Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Nick Web revealed that Smith started sexually assaulting the child victim twice a week from the ages of 4 to 14. According to the victim, her younger sister was also sexually assaulted. Some of the assaults would occur simultaneously by the Defendant though no outcry was made by the younger sister.

The forensic interview from the victim was extremely vivid, graphic and detailed. The one time the victim tried to refuse the assaults, Smith slapped her and told her she would get in trouble. Continue reading “Frankston Man Receives 40 Year Sentence for Sexual Assault”

U.S. Supreme Court Refuses Latest Appeal of Randall Mays

Press release

Randall Wayne Mays was denied his latest challenge to his conviction by the United States Supreme Court today, bringing him one step closer to execution for the 2007 murders of Sheriff’s Deputies Paul Habelt and Tony Ogburn. Kevin Harris was also seriously wounded in the gunfire from Mays.

The Court denied his petition for writ of certiorari without any other language. His denial was included amongst a list of many others. According to Henderson County District Attorney Scott McKee, a party who wants the Supreme Court to review a decision of a federal or state court files a “petition for writ of certiorari” in the Supreme Court. If the Court grants the petition, the case is scheduled for the filing of briefs and for oral argument. A minimum of four of the nine Justices is required to grant a writ of certiorari.

Judge Carter Tarrance, who presided over the trial, signed an execution order and death warrant on July 10th of last year, setting Mays’ execution date for March 18th, 2015 after the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals refused to grant Mays a Certificate of Appealability. Continue reading “U.S. Supreme Court Refuses Latest Appeal of Randall Mays”