Bench trial scheduled for Tyler man charged in robbery

SMITH COUNTY, TX (KLTV) -

Tuesday morning, a Tyler man waived his right to a trial by jury in an aggravated robbery case.

Timothy Pullins, 34, was arrested in March after Tyler Police say he used a woman's stolen credit card at a fast foot restaurant. According to police, Pullins was one of multiple men who stole the woman's purse when she was walking to her car after leaving Electric Cowboy nightclub. Last month, a judge sentenced Pullins to one year in prison for illegally using the card at a Tyler McDonalds.

Pullins is scheduled to be in court again on September 30th for a bench trial on the robbery charge.

Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.

View the original article here

Guardsman holds his own 9/11 march

LONGVIEW, TX (KLTV) -

An East Texas soldier turned a simple gesture into a patriotic salute in his own September 11 march.   Starting off on his own, Army National Guard PFC Blaine Glover marched along Highway 80, from Longview to Marshall, in full utilities and full pack.

"Part of it was, I kind of wanted to feel a little uncomfortable like my friends and brothers over there in Afghanistan are feeling," Glover says.    

Halfway through the walk, he was spontaneously joined by a former Army 101st Airborne member.

"I have friends, several, that are getting ready to deploy in Afghanistan, and I just want people to remember today means something. I just don't want people to forget," Blaine says. 

Taking no money or donations, he got support and encouragement along the way from East Texans. 

The march needed no explanation.

"Had a lot of honks and a lot of people stopping kind of surprised," Glover says.

"I think its great that he's doing this, and more people should be out here to see this. I'm impressed, very impressed," said bystander Paige Crisman.    

"When you feel like you're having a bad day, I guarantee you there's a soldier in Afghanistan that is having a worse day. Just remember, that's all I have to say," Blaine says.

Blaine Glover has seen members of his previous unit deploy overseas and wants East Texans to keep all military members in their prayers.

Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.

View the original article here

Suspects wanted for stealing large number of electronics from E. Texas business

LONGVIEW, TX (KLTV) - Local authorities are looking for two suspects who stole a large number of electronic devices from an East Texas store.

According to the Longview Police Department, two unknown suspects broke the glass in a display case and took multiple iPads. The alleged thieves then exited the store and loaded the stolen merchandise into a white Cadillac SUV.

The theft occurred at the Walmart Supercenter located at 4006 Estes Parkway.

Anyone who recognizes the suspects or has information on this crime is asked to contact Detective Gary Shirley with Longview police at 903-237-1199 or Gregg County Crime stoppers at 903-236-7867.

Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.

View the original article here

East Texas man waives right to jury trial in 2012 murder case

TYLER, TX (KLTV) - The East Texas man charged with a September 2012 murder appeared in court Wednesday morning.

According to Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham, 70-year-old Anthony Miller waived his right to a jury trial and will enter a plea in the case October 4. He is charged with the murder of 34-year-old Adam Palacios of Tyler.

Miller was arrested June 3 after new information was gathered regarding Palacios' death, which occurred on County Road 35 in Tyler. Family members reported Palacios missing in September 2012. A few weeks later, Miller called authorities and led them to the man's body.

Miller will remain in the Smith County Jail until his hearing in which he will plead and be sentenced.

Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.

View the original article here

The original No. 88 visits Longview

LONGVIEW, TX (KLTV) -

Before Dez Bryant wore No. 88 for the Dallas Cowboys, there was hall of famer Michael Irvin.

Before Irvin wore No. 88, there was Cowboys legend Drew Pearson.  The original No. 88 was in East Texas Wednesday meeting fans and signing autographs.

Pearson was in downton Longview for the grand opening of the new Citizens National Bank.  Pearson took pictures with fans and showed off his Super Bowl ring.  His star remains bright to Cowboy fans.

"We didn't win it every year, but I played in seven NFC Championship games in 11 years," said Pearson.  "Because of that people still recognize and know the name Drew Pearson. This season will be 30 years since I played, but a guy told me the other day good luck the season. He still thinks I'm playing."

Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.

View the original article here

Mineola country music star nominated for 6 CMA awards

MINEOLA, TX (KLTV) -

A Mineola country music star is turning heads.

Musician, singer, and song writer Kacey Musgraves is nominated for 6 different Country Music Association, or CMA awards. 

Musgraves is also partnering with another East Texas star, Miranda Lambert.

"It's a nice feeling to watch, I sometimes call them my babies, doing that good," said John DeFoore, the music instructor that taught both Lambert and Musgraves how to play and write songs.

These "babies" DeFoore is referring to are Lambert and rising star Musgraves.

DeFoore started teaching Musgraves when she was 14-years-old, and now she is nominated for CMA's New Artist of the Year.

"Even though she's got a great voice, even though she's beautiful, all these things, what they talk about are her lyrics which makes me happy because that's what I push a lot," said DeFoore.

One of Musgraves' six CMA nominations is for Song of the Year. It's for the song she wrote called Mama's Broken Heart, which is performed by Lambert.

"They are two girls from East Texas and they talk real Texan and they know the same thing; big trucks and big hair and all that different stuff, so they get along pretty good," said DeFoore.

It was that song that Musgraves sent to her old mentor to look at.

"Right after Kacey wrote it she texted me part of the rough recording that they had done that night, right after they wrote it and she sent it to me," said DeFoore.

That's not the only song this rising star is nominated for.

Musgraves' song "Merry go 'Round'" is also topping the charts and is up for an award.

DeFoore says the quiet town of Mineola is full of supporters.

"She is a nice person so she has a lot of friends. It's not just people who knew her, they are people who are friends. Everybody is excited for her," said DeFoore. "There's a difference between being excited because you know someone who got famous and being excited for someone you care about who got famous."

The CMA Awards will take place November 6th.

To see Kacey's and Miranda's nominations, click here.

Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.

View the original article here