On December 19th, 2019 at approximately 8:00 p.m. the Hunt County Sheriff’s Officer received a call of an armed robbery at the Quicker Liquor store located in the 7200 block of SH 224.
Upon arrival at the scene deputies were informed that a male suspect entered the store wearing heavy black coat with a hood pulled over his head, wearing tan khaki pants and had a large hunt knife attached to his belt. The suspect jumped over the counter and demanded the money as he pulled his jacket back to show the knife still in the sheath. The suspect fled the scene on foot with an undetermined amount of cash.
A perimeter was set up around the business and a K9 tracking team was called in to attempt to locate the suspect. The search was unsuccessful and the suspect remains at large.
Sheriff Meeks stated: “I am thankful that no one was injured during this robbery and I encourage anyone that may know who this is to contact the Sheriff’s Office or Hunt County Crime Stoppers”.
If you have information on this crime or any other crime you can call Hunt County Crime Stoppers at 903-457-2929 or send the information via the P3 app and you will remain anonymous. If the tip leads to an arrest you will be eligible for a reward of up to $1000.00
Nearly 2 months after the deadly shooting which occurred at the Party Venue In Greenville, & The shooter is still at large.
A large gathering of up to 750 people or more attended a party at the Party Venue off Highway 380 on the night of October 27, 2019. Several of the attendees were students of the Texas A&M-Commerce School. What was suppose to be a costume/homecoming party tuned into a night of terror for all there.
Somewhere around Midnight, Hunt County Sheriff’s Office received a call about cars being parked along the side of Highway 380 in an unsafe manor. Caller stated the vehicles were parking on the shoulder of the road with party goers walking in the lanes of travel, almost getting hit by passing cars. Hunt County sends an officer to check out the situation. Upon officers arrival he announces over the radio he needs AMR to respond as someone had been shot at the party. Hunt County EMS along with Caddo Mills Fire & Greenville Fire units are the first to respond, including backup for the officer.
As the officer that was already on scene provides help for the wounded, he calls in over the radio that he believes more victims are possibly down inside the Venue. While the officer calls this out over the police radio, you can hear screaming from terrified party goers as they scramble to get away from the shooting. As more officers arrive on scene they request more ambulances for other victims, eventually organizing a triage for victims to be treated until transported to the hospital.
Several agencies we called in to assist including the FBI. Investigators canvased the area thru the early morning looking for evidence that the shooter may have left behind. The Hunt County Sheriffs Office eventually gave a press release asking for assistance from the party goers, asking if anyone seen anything, that may be helpful to their investigation to speak up. The Sheriffs office received little to no help from the few tips that were turned in.
A tip turned into the Hunt County Sheriffs Office led detectives to Brandon Gonzalez as the possible shooter. Gonzalez was located and booked into the Hunt County Detention Center on 2 counts of capital murder. After a few days in jail, Gonzalez was released for lack of evidence, and lack of cooperation from the witness that came forward.
Gonzalez had several supporters saying he wasn’t the shooter. Supporters even held a march which started at the Hunt County Detention Center, leading thru the downtown streets of Greenville Ending back at the Hunt County Jail. When Gonzalez was released he was greeted by family and the media, with little to say about the shooting, only that he was innocent and was glad to be out of jail. Since his release Gonzalez has filled a wrongful arrest suit against the County.
Since Gonzalez was released, there has been nothing spoken of this case. Many of the Hunt County Residents are on edge, due to the fact there is still a shooter on the loose. We get many messages a week asking on the status of this shooting. As of December 18, 2019 we here at HCTR know as much as the community does. We pray daily that someone speaks up to help officers make an arrest before this heartless killer strikes again. Continue to pray for the victims who lost their lives that night, and pray that justice is served
If you were present at the Party Venue or have any information regarding this case, please contact the Hunt County Sherriff’s Office at 903-408-6800, or to remain anonymous you may contact Hunt County Crime Stoppers at 903-457-2929.
On October 13th, at approximately 3:50 p.m. Deputies with the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the 10700 block of Maplewood Drive in regards to a shooting call.
During the course of the initial investigation it was determined that a dispute between neighbors had escalated to one of the subjects shooting and striking a person in the leg. The suspect, who is identified as Christopher Lee Canington, 36 year old male from Wills Point Texas, was detained. The victim was located a short time later with a gunshot to the upper leg. Deputy Hunter Hall immediately applied his Sheriff’s Office issued tourniquet until AMR could make scene.
Mr. Canington was arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and transported to the Hunt County Detention Center. The victim was transported by AMR to a local hospital for his injury and his condition is not known as of this press release.
Mr. Canington was arraigned earlier today and bond has been set at $150,000
Sheriff Meeks stated: “I believe that everyone recalls that horrible night when 5 Dallas officers were killed but one of things that came out of that tragedy was for officers to carry tourniquets on their duty belts. I commend Deputy Hunter Hall with the quick thinking to care for the victim while he was waiting on AMR. I would also like to thank the Quinlan and West Tawakoni Police Departments for assisting us on this call”.
In the early morning hours on Wednesday morning, the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office conducted a narcotics raid in the 100 block of CR1048 in Celeste. Four felony warrants were served. A firearm was seized along with approximately 228 grams of methamphetamines.
Five subjects were taken into custody.
John Frank Chesne 31 of Celeste was arrested on a Failed to Maintain Financial Responsibility warrant and was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group #1 >4<200 grams.
Lacy Hamm 31 of Celeste was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Bryan Wayne Butler 36 of Greenville was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group #1 >4<200 grams.
Randall Scott Hughes 56 of Celeste was arrested for a Parole Violation and for Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group #1 >4<2oo grams.
Stephanie Lynn Baldridge 39 of Celeste was arrested on three felony warrants out of Collin County.
“I want to thank the Greenville Police Department, the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office, the Bonham Police Department and Constable Terry Jones in their assistance in running this investigations into the arrests of these persons. Once again, we continue our war on illegal narcotics in Hunt County and we are working every day on curtailing these kind of activities. So, if you are dealing narcotics within the County of Hunt, I suggest that you go somewhere else!”
