Shelby County Today

September 25, 2025 - (Update): Karren Price, 123rd Judicial District Attorney, confirms the victim in this shooting incident to be Jeremy Smith, of Timpson.

The suspects in this incident who have been booked into the Shelby County Jail on the charge of murder, felony 1, are Jorge Vazquez, 23, of Center and Jesus Flores, 28.

(September 25, 2025 - 1:02am) - A truck stop fuel station in Tenaha near the intersection of U.S. Highways 59 and 96 was the scene of a shooting incident Wednesday, September 24, 2025.

Shelby County law enforcement authorities responded to the scene sometime around 8:30pm after the altercation had occurred.

Karren Price, 123rd Judicial District Attorney, has confirmed the incident and according to details the victim was parked in a Lexus in the eastern side of the parking lot where the diesel pumps are located apparently waiting on someone. Another vehicle pulled up to the Lexus with two hispanic males inside. At some point the passenger from the second vehicle exited and proceeded to beat on the driver of the Lexus through his driver’s side window. The driver of the Lexus was somehow able to get out of his vehicle and attempted to retrieve an AR-15 style rifle from his trunk. It was at this time the driver of the Lexus was allegedly shot by one of the individuals from the other vehicle.

Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers were first on scene and the driver was transported from the scene for medical treatment of his life-threatening injuries.

The suspects fled the scene and law enforcement officials are actively seeking them. Details on the suspect vehicle are not available at this time.

Agencies on scene included the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, Constable Precinct 4, Constable Precinct 5, Texas Rangers, and Texas Department of Public Safety.

September 23, 2025 - A Nacogdoches man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Adolfo Cruz, 27, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a machinegun and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 22, 2025.

According to information presented in court, on April 10, 2024, local law enforcement in Lufkin conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Cruz. The officer noticed a gun case in the back seat of Cruz’s vehicle and asked Cruz what was inside of the case. Cruz reached for the case and a firearm fell out. The officer removed Cruz from the vehicle and conducted a pat-down search of Cruz. During the pat-down search, the officer found a machinegun conversion device (MCD). MCDs are small mechanisms that can be attached to the rear of the slide of a firearm, converting a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic machinegun. Federal law defines a machinegun as a weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.

ATF agents later obtained a search warrant for Cruz’s cell phone. The cell phone contained messages to and from Cruz discussing the buying and selling of firearms, including MCDs.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

This case was investigated by the Lufkin Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.

September 17, 2025 - The Shelby County District Attorney's Office in conjunction with the Shelby County Sheriff's Department has issued the following details on Septmeber 17, 2025, in reference to the circumstances surrounding the death of JaMichael Phillips, suspects now in custody, and the one that remains at large.

In a press release, Shelby County Sheriff Gerald Corbell and District Attorney Karren Price thank the community and all the responding officers for their help in this case. It is the help of so many that allowed them to work this case quickly and successfully.

At approximately 9:30am on Saturday, September 13, officers from the Shelby County Sheriff's office responded to the home of JaMichael Phillips, date of birth July 10, 1989, and found him deceased. The home was dead bolted and entry had been accomplished by a member of the family prior to notification of law enforcement.

Mr. Phillips death was the result of a homicide with what appeared to be one round to the back of his head. Further evidence appeared to support the conclusion at the scene that the shot had been fired by forcing the displacement of an air conditioner in his bedroom window, shoving it aside and firing from the outside into the interior as Phillips attempted to exit the room.

"He fortunately dead bolted all three entries to his home, they couldn't gain entry," said District Attorney Karren Price. "They jerked a air conditioner out of a window, or at least partially, stuck the gun through there. He jumps out of his bed which is right beside the air conditioner, he's trying to exit the bedroom and one round they just hit him in the back of the head."

The Shelby County Sheriff requested and received the help of two Texas Department of Public Safety Rangers to assist in the investigation. They arrived on scene within a couple of hours of the 911 call for help and completed processing the scene alongside the sheriff's office. Officers were able to obtain video evidence from the neighborhood and local businesses to aid in tracking the vehicle in which the suspects left the scene. In a few hours, four suspects were identified as assailants in what can only be described as an execution.

"There was a dice game at his house on September 11, on or about, we believe there was a dice game at his house where he took some money off of them, and that probably is what they were trying to get, but that's just speculation on our part at this point in time, we can't positively say that right now," said Price.

The four are associated with directly or are associated with others who are associated with gang activity in and around Angelina County. We requested and received four arrest warrants for murder at that time.

One of the four has direct familial connections to Shelby County. The four fled to the Houston area and with the assistance of DPS resources we were able to locate the apartment building they were in, where SWAT arrested two on Monday. Those two were transported back to Shelby County on Tuesday evening and remain in custody.

They are identified as Colby Eli Lister, 19, of Lufkin, and Deterion Alexander, 17, of Lufkin. On September 17 at approximately 10am., Rangers [James] Hicks and [Corey] Seymore arrested Rico Rose, 20, also of Lufkin. There remains one un-arrested whose name will be withheld at this time.

The motive for this crime appears to be robbery, which failed because they could not gain entry to the home. It is also most certainly related to gang activity south of us.

We expect an arrest on the fourth soon. Once the evidence establishes who did what and when we will decide how to charge them, but rest assured, the people involved will be held accountable and the person or persons directly responsible for the death of this young man will be prosecuted for murder.

September 15, 2025 - Sheriff Gerald Corbell has confirmed the deceased is JaMichael Phillips, 36, of Center and he was the victim of a shooting.

September 13, 2025 - Law enforcement officials (LEOs) responded to the scene of a reported shooting incident on Saturday, September 13, in the 100 block of CR 2235 at around 9:30am.

When officers arrived, family members were attempting to enter the home residence when officers directed them not to enter as they could potentially contaminate the scene inside.

A large crowd converged on the location and additional police were needed to control the scene. Center Police Department officers, and Texas Department of Public Safety responded to the location to assist Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies and the initially cordoned off area was extended out further to encompass the roadway to move people further away. District Attorney Karren Price supervised the officers with the investigation at the residence.

Ambulance personnel were at the residence, but once it was determined they were no longer needed they cleared the location.

Texas Ranger Corey Seymore was called in to investigate and in addition to the investigation being mainly within the home, investigators seemed to have an intense focus on an air conditioner window unit that was located on the west end of the structure and appeared to be halfway hanging.

Later in the day the Sheriff’s Department took possession of the air conditioner, apparently as evidence.

Texas Game Warden Austin Cryer and Constables Zack Warr and Roy Cheatwood were present at the entrance to CR 2235 for crowd control and to limit entry to the residence.

Donna Hughes, Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, performed the inquest of the individual and Mangum Funeral Home transported that person from the scene.

Throughout the day as law enforcement investigated, family members and friends of the deceased individual remained outside waiting and communicating with officials. As the person was removed from the house, several children in the crowd were vehemently shouting and sobbing to their “Daddy,” suggesting the person was their father.

A request for basic information on this incident, including the name of the victim, from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department has been made; however, as of 11pm details have not been given.

Details are anticipated, and will be updated when made available.

September 15, 2025 - State Highway 87 in Shelbyville is the scene of a truck-tractor chicken hauler rollover September 15, 2025 at around 2:40pm.

According to details from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the preliminary crash investigation indicates that at approximately 2:40pm, a 2018 Kenworth T880 driven by Edward Hernandez, 51, of Lufkin and towing a 2008 trailer was traveling north. It is reported that the Kenworth was approaching a left-hand curve at an unsafe speed, left the roadway to the right, and overturned.

Hernandez was not reported to have been injured.

According to DPS, this is an ongoing investigation, and no further information is available at this time.

Shelby County Sheriff's Department Deputies, Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department, and TxDOT assisted at the scene.