Sole shooter arrested in double murder
The suspect in a double muder turned himself in, according to the Beaumont Police Department (BPD).
April 12, Dijon Ivory, 29, of Beaumont, was charged with two counts of murder and bond was set at $2 million.
BPD reported April 10, two men were killed in a home invasion that turned into a shootout in Beaumont’s south end.
The Beaumont Police Department (BPD) reported that officers responded to the 1800 block of Elgie Street in reference to a victim of a shooting at 2:16 a.m.
According to BPD, the preliminary investigation revealed several people were at the residence when a group of unknown black males committed a home invasion. During the incident, witnesses advised gunfire was exchanged.
One man was shot inside the residence and pronounced deceased on scene, and another shooting victim was transported to the hospital by EMS, but later died. The victims were identified as Ahmad Hayden, 32, and Roven Dotson, 31, both of Beaumont.
The suspects fled the scene before officers arrived. BPD stated the investigation is ongoing and investigators do know the incident was not random.
Ivory has unrelated warrants for evading and resisting arrest.
Witnesses wanted
Even though a mass of people was around to witness the murder of a man in rural Jefferson County over Easter weekend, the sheriff’s office is reporting that no one is being cooperative in identifying the murderer.
April 9, a man was shot and killed at the Laday Arena in Cheek, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO). JCSO reported that, at approximately 1 a.m., deputies were dispatched to the arena in reference to shots fired. Once there, deputies discovered two males suffering from gunshot wounds. Both victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment.
A 30-year-old Houston male, later identified as Javoris Potier, was pronounced deceased. The second victim, a 37-year-old Beaumont man, was reported in stable condition.
Despite a large crowd of people gathered at the arena, no one is being cooperative at this time, according to investigators.
Persons with any information about this crime are asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (409) 833-TIPS (8477), log onto www.833TIPS.com or download the interactive P3 app.
Senior citizen puts ‘5’ on a bank robbery
A 68-year-old man was arrested shortly after he robbed a local bank on April 6.
According to the Beaumont Police Department (BPD), a suspect, later identified as Jimmy Maynard of Beaumont, walked into the PNC Bank on Interstate 10 at 9 a.m. and handed the teller a note with his intentions to rob the bank. The staff immediately notified police.
BPD officers on the scene within minutes took Maynard into custody. No weapons were found on the arrestee, who was then interviewed and booked into the Jefferson County Jail on a second-degree felony robbery charge after the FBI declined to pursue federal bank robbery charges.
Bond was originally set at $555,555.55 by Judge Ben Collins Sr., but later reduced by a half-million dollars to $55,555.55. Collins also ordered a mental health evaluation.
Maynard reportedly told detectives that he was recently paroled and wanted to return to prison because he couldn’t survive on Social Security. Maynard allegedly handed a note to the bank teller, demanding $5, and waited as the bank staff called for police, who arrived post haste. Maynard told police that “5” was his lucky number.
Maynard served 12 years in prison for first-degree aggravated robbery and was released in 2015.
Fast Eddie’s gun-flailing ends in parking lot pursuit
According to the Beaumont Police Department (BPD), officers were dispatched to Fast Eddie’s, 6410 Phelan Blvd., in reference to a man waving a firearm around the parking lot and leaving in a red Dodge Charger on April 9.
Officers located the Charger and attempted to stop the vehicle. The car’s driver, Kelton Gaines, 28, refused to stop and tried to evade through the parking lot, to little avail.
Gaines eventually exited the vehicle, yet refused to comply with officers’ commands, BPD reported. After officers were able to stop Gaines from resisting and put the suspect in custody, the police further report, officers located the aggrieving handgun in the vehicle.
Gaines was transported to Jefferson County Correctional Facility and booked in for evading in a motor vehicle, unlawfully carrying a weapon and resisting arrest.
Suspect speed tops 120 mph before veering off to topple pine tree
A 25-year-old Hardin County man was arrested after he led law enforcement on a chase and crashed his vehicle on April 6, reported the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO).
According to Sheriff Bryan Weatherford, at 1 p.m. deputies were made aware of a stolen Chevrolet pickup truck headed north on FM 92 from Hardin County. TCSO deputies, along with Texas State Park Police, located the pickup on FM 92 in Fred and initiated a southbound pursuit reaching speeds of 120 mph.
The suspect’s truck turned onto County Road (CR) 4700, heading south. The driver lost control and crashed into a pine tree on CR 4700, near CR 4748.
Weatherford reported Christopher Allen Venable Jr., of Silsbee, was extracted from the truck by the Spurger Volunteer Fire Department.
Venable was transported to the Tyler County Hospital, where he was medically cleared before being booked into the Tyler County Jail. He was charged with evading arrest, along with several out-of-county charges for unauthorized use of a vehicle, assault of family member, engaging in organized criminal activity, theft of materials ($2,500 to $30,000) and theft of property.
Venable’s bond was set at $165,000 and he remained in jail at press time.
He was also arrested by the Silsbee Police Department on two charges. Venable was arrested April 6 for unauthorized use of a vehicle and April 7 for theft of materials (aluminum, bronze or copper wiring, less than $20,000), state-jail felonies.