‘Out-of-place’ inmate captured
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) instigated a search of the grounds in and around the area of the Stiles Unit in Beaumont on Dec. 19, desperately seeking “an out-of-place inmate.”
According to TDCJ officials, the rogue inmate, 42-year-old Zachary Myrick, was discovered missing during a routine count. Staff enacted a full perimeter sweep to fully clear the prison and surrounding grounds. Myrick was eventually located still inside the perimeter fencing of the Stiles Unit the same day.
Myrick was previously convicted of two counts of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon out of Harris County and was sentenced to serve 24 years in prison on April 8, 2009.
Suspect confesses to church burglary
Orange County Sheriff Jimmy Lane Mooney reported a suspect in an alleged burglary of a church has confessed.
The burglary occurred at 3 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Pine Forest Baptist Church near Vidor. The suspect, who was caught on a video camera, returned a $500 laptop computer he had taken.
Video images show a person approaching the food pantry in a red vehicle and, after several minutes, exit with a bag that contained the computer.
Mooney noted the church plans to press charges.
Teen charged in triple-fatality crash
A Jasper teen was taken into custody on charges of intoxication manslaughter in a triple-fatality accident on Dec. 17 in Lufkin.
The Lufkin Police Department (LPD) reported Tyler Lewis, 17, of Jasper, has been charged with three counts of intoxication manslaughter with additional charges pending.
According to LPD, the accident occurred at 12 a.m. on South First Street. LPD stated their preliminary investigation shows that Tyler Lewis, 17, of Jasper, was southbound on South First Street in a Honda sedan when he made a sudden lane change and was rear-ended by a Ford Bronco driven by Michael Allman, 24, of Lufkin.
Witnesses told officers that the Honda made a sudden and dramatic lane change to the left in front of the Bronco and that the Bronco could not avoid the crash. Lewis’ car spun into the median and came to an abrupt stop.
The three deceased were identified as Anastasia Gray, 19, of Carthage, Antownique Robertson, 18, of Carthage, and Xzavien Grimble, 20, of Jasper. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Two others were critically injured and were flown to a Tyler hospital. They are identified as Radaysha Jackson, 18, of Kirbyville, and Reilly Brown, 19, of Carthage.
Another passenger, Omorion Lewis, 17, of Jasper, was treated and released from a local hospital.
Neither Lewis nor his six passengers were wearing seat belts. Lewis remained in the driver’s seat while his passengers came to rest in the back seat.
Woman indicted for another murder
24-year-old Lace Skyler Christian was indicted earlier this summer for the May 2022 shooting death of Russell Vernon Realdo. This shooting occurred in the 1600 block of Maple Street in Port Arthur.
Dec. 14, 24-year-old Lace Christian, of Port Arthur, was indicted for a second murder in one year. Christian had already been indicted earlier this year for the May shooting death of Russell Vernon Realdo in the 1600 block of Maple Street in Port Arthur, as well as continuous sexual abuse of a child and indecency with e a child.
This month, Christian was additionally indicted for the Aug. 10, 2021, murder of Lonnie Scott, a Port Arthur man shot in his home in the 2200 block of 17th Street.
Christian was arrested in July of this year and remains incarcerated. She has bonds for a bevy of crimes totaling more than $2 million.
Female steals $400 of DVDs from store
Police have identified a female suspect after approximately $400 worth of DVD movies was stolen from a Walmart store in Jasper on Dec. 10, KJAS.com reported.
Jasper Police Department (JPD) reported that a woman began stuffing Walmart bags with DVDs and was confronted by a store security employee as she tried to leave. Also, the report stated after the suspect initially claimed that she had lost her receipt, she then ran out and fled in a black 2009 Chevrolet Malibu car.
JPD Detective Joshua Hadnot reported the suspect has been positively identified as a 24-year-old Jasper resident, and officers are waiting for a judge to sign off on her arrest warrant.
No arrest had been made as of press time.
Three locals arrested in Jasper County
Two Hardin County residents and a Beaumont man were arrested last week in Jasper County.
According to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) jail report, Nicole Denimon, 51, of Silsbee, was arrested for credit or debit card abuse on Dec. 14 by the Jasper Police Department.
Dec. 15, Keana Rae Ratcliff Hogan, 26, of Silsbee, was arrested by JCSO for reckless injury to child, elderly or disabled person.
Dec. 13, Conner David Jones, 34, of Beaumont, was arrested for manufacture/delivery of controlled substance, Penalty Group 1, 4-200 grams (motion to revoke probation).
Stolen truck found in Newton County
A pickup reported stolen from Hardin County was found in the southern end of Newton County on Dec. 16, according to Pct. 4 Constable Matt Wonders.
Wonders reported the late model Dodge Ram pickup truck was discovered stashed in a wooded area in the Deweyville/Indian Lake area. The license plates had been removed.
Wonders is seeking person(s) who may have seen the truck being driven in that area recently or has any information about the crime to contact him at (409) 224-9454 or the Newton County Sheriff’s Department at (409) 379-3636.
Beaumont PD: Duo wanted for dastardly deed
Beaumont Police Department detectives are trying to identify the two suspects pictured in security footage on Nov. 10. According to police, the two suspects scammed an elderly female out of $10,000 using a “Pigeon Drop Scheme.”
A pigeon drop, according to a definition search, is a confidence trick in which a targeted victim, or “pigeon,” is persuaded to give up a sum of money in order to secure the rights to a larger sum of money, or more valuable object.
Usually, to perform a pigeon drop, two con artists pose as strangers to each other and manipulate a third person – the victim – into seemingly finding a large amount of “lost” money. The two con artists convince the victim that they can all legitimately claim equal shares of the found money if they each put up some amount of their own money to prove good faith.
Anyone who recognizes the suspects or has any information about this crime is asked to call BPD at (409) 832-1234, or report a tip anonymously through Southeast Texas Crime Stoppers by calling (409) 833-TIPS (8477) or by downloading the P3 Tips App on any smartphone.