Bircher

A Tyler man accused of shooting one man to death and injuring another in January has been indicted on murder and assault charges.

The grand jury indicted Demarkus Keandre Bircher, 21, on April 8 for murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with a Jan. 19 shooting in the Chapel Hill area.

Bircher was arrested on Jan. 19 and he has remained in the Smith County Jail since then on bonds totaling $800,000, according to judicial records.

According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to the 3200 block of Jackson Avenue around midnight and found the victims. Smith County investigators as well as the crime scene unit were also at the scene.

Argusta Stansell, 48, of Winona was shot in the chest, taken to UT Health Tyler and he died from his injuries at the hospital. Another man, Kendrick Gill, 41, of Tyler, was shot in the leg and taken to the hospital.

While investigating, CSI learned Bircher’s name and a residence where he was believed to be staying. Police said they took Bircher into custody at the residence

On Feb. 15, 2018, Bircher was jailed for unlawful carrying of a weapon and marijuana possession. He was released the following day.

Stansell and Gill also have prior arrests and Stansell has not been in jail since a four-year prison sentence in 2001. Gill had a series of non-violent charges including a bad check and vehicle charges with one assault charge in 2004. Gill’s last arrest was in 2019.