Sheriff’s office releases identity of murder-suicide victims found on Highway 31
Published 4:16 pm Friday, June 22, 2018
- Texas Manning (Courtesy of Smith County)
The Smith County Sheriff’s Office released the identities of the murder-suicide victims found this week on Texas Highway 31 near the Smith and Gregg County line.
They are Joshua Alexander Woodruff, 31, and Texas Colby Manning, 32, according to a news release.
The bodies were found Wednesday around 9 p.m. in the 24000 block of Texas 31 East, after a woman noticed a single body and called the police, according to the news release.
The woman led deputies to a man’s body later identified as Woodruff. He appeared to have suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
Deputies swept the area and found the body of a second man, later identified as Manning.
Manning was a short distance away and appeared to have suffered a single gunshot wound to the head, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies interviewed the female witness who called 911.
She told investigators Manning and Woodruff got into a physical altercation earlier in the day at Woodruff’s residence, according to the sheriff’s office.
After the altercation things appeared to be settled, according to a witness.
The witness also told investigators she accompanied Woodruff and Manning to buy some ammunition they would use to shoot a firearm. The three went to a property near the intersection of Highway 31 West and County Road 245 North.
The sheriff’s office obtained search warrants for the property and a vehicle that was found at the property’s gate.
The preliminary investigation led detectives to believe Manning fired several rounds from a handgun at Woodruff, striking him multiple times and causing his death.
They also believe Manning turned the handgun on himself after shooting Woodruff, according to the news release.
The investigation is ongoing. Justice of the Peace Mitch Shamburger ordered autopsies for both men.
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