Woman, 85, says purse, car stolen from Tyler restaurant

An 85-year-old woman reported her purse and car stolen from a South Tyler restaurant Saturday.

Police were called around 3:22 p.m. Saturday to the Yami Buffett, at 3300 Troup Highway.

The victim was followed into the restaurant by a man who stole her purse after it was left unattended, police said.

The victim was alerted by a witness and immediately checked the parking lot, discovering her 2016 dark blue Kia Forte, bearing a Texas “Surviving Spouse” license, plate number 8HC, had been taken.

Once the purse was taken, the suspect found the keys to the vehicle and stole it, driving northbound on Golden Road, police said.

The suspect was described as a Hispanic male, 5 foot, 4 inches tall with a medium build and dressed in a blue T-shirt with white letters on the front. He was wearing tan cargo shorts and a gray baseball cap backward on his head.

The victim was not harmed and the incident is under investigation, police said.

— Staff Reports

Southeast Texas officers kill gunman in traffic stop

SILSBEE (AP) — Texas Rangers are investigating the fatal shooting of a 51-year-old man in Southeast Texas after authorities said he threatened officers with a handgun.

Authorities said police from Silsbee and Hardin County sheriff’s deputies pulled over the man Saturday for a traffic stop and he emerged from his truck carrying a handgun.

Sheriff Mark Davis told Beaumont television station KFDM that when the gunman threatened the officers, they fired.

Authorities said he was pulled over in response to a call about a man threatening harm to his family and law enforcement. None of the officers was hurt.

The victim is identified only as a man from Fred, just north of Silsbee.

Silsbee is about 20 miles north of Beaumont and 100 miles northeast of Houston.

Texas man charged in Arkansas slaying of Wisconsin man

CONWAY, Ark. (AP) — A Fort Worth man is awaiting extradition to Arkansas where he faces a capital murder charge for a slaying at a Central Arkansas hotel earlier this month.

Arkansas authorities said 22-year-old Andrew Morstain is the third person charged in the May 8 shooting death of a Whitewater, Wisconsin, man, Leonel Panduro, at a Days Inn motel in Conway.

The Border Patrol said Morstain was arrested last week in Laredo, along the Texas-Mexico border.

Also charged in Panduro’s killing are 24-year-old Zachary Keesee, who faces a count of conspiracy to commit murder, and his 50-year-old mother, Sherri Keesee, of Maumelle.

Zachary Keesee was arrested May 20 at a border crossing in Eagle Pass, about 125 miles northwest of Laredo.

Sherri Keesee is charged with hindering apprehension.

“Texas 7” gang member gets August execution date

HUNTSVILLE (AP) — A death row inmate who was part of the notorious “Texas 7” gang of escaped prisoners has received an execution date for late this summer.

Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials said they’ve received documents setting 45-year-old Joseph Garcia for lethal injection Aug. 30.

Garcia was serving 50 years for a Bexar County murder when he and six others broke out of a South Texas prison in December 2000 and then committed numerous robberies, including the Christmas Eve holdup of a sporting goods store in the Dallas suburb of Irving where a police officer, 29-year-old Aubrey Hawkins, was killed.

The fugitives were captured in Colorado after a six-week national manhunt. One killed himself there.

Garcia is one of three of the gang on death row. Three others have been executed.

Police: Woman falsely claims stolen car had child inside

GRAND PRAIRIE (AP) — Police said a North Texas woman falsely reported that her car had been stolen with her 10-monthold baby inside so that officers would more quickly hunt down her missing vehicle.

Grand Prairie police said an Amber Alert was issued after Margarita Levrie contacted authorities about the theft. Officers later determined her car had been stolen but that no child was inside. Police said Levrie doesn’t have a 10-month-old child.

She was jailed and charged with making a false police. The Amber Alert on Saturday was cancelled.

Police believe Levrie made up the story in the hope that authorities would more quickly track her missing car. Her car hasn’t been recovered.

Police Chief Steve Dye said he won’t tolerate erroneous spending of money and resources or diverting resources from people who really need them.

Grand Prairie is between Dallas and Fort Worth.