Tyrone Lee Underwood

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Tyler police responding to a car crash early Monday found they were not dealing with a car crash, but instead, a homicide.

Once on the scene in the 400 block of West 24th Street, officers found 24-year-old Tyrone Lee Underwood, of Tyler, dead in his vehicle from multiple gunshot wounds.

Detective Andy Erbaugh said a female caller reported to Tyler police at 2:47 a.m. Monday that a motorist struck a utility pole but that her children heard what they believed were a series of gunshots.

Later Monday morning, yellow evidence placards littered the block where the crash occurred.

On one end, Erbaugh said, the markers were used to indicate pieces of the vehicle that are believed to have been torn off as Underwood attempted to turn his vehicle around on the street.

The markers on the other end of the street noted where police found shell casings from the weapon used to kill Underwood.

Erbaugh said it was unknown why Underwood attempted to turn around on the street, but that he crashed into a mailbox and stopped just short of the utility pole.

Onlookers said they didn’t want to get involved, but one lady said she hoped police could get the violence under control in her neighborhood.

Erbaugh said there were some leads they were following, but the motive behind the shooting was unknown at the time.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000 or the Tyler/Smith County Crimestoppers at 903-597-2833.

Police said Tuesday’s homicide was the second of the year in the city limits.

The first homicide occurred on Jan. 3, when Michael Dewayne Caldwell, 31, was shot and killed as he attempted to assault a man at the Walgreen pharmacy on Loop 323 and Texas Highway 64 west.

The shooting was said to be self-defense, but the case was forwarded to the Smith County District Attorney’s Office to present to a grand jury.