Tyler grandparents of murder suspect arrested

Published 8:25 am Thursday, January 23, 2025

Two relatives of a murder suspect accused of killing a woman in a Tyler apartment have been arrested.

The grandparents of Jorian Jackson, 29, who is accused of killing 26-year-old Cheyenne Russell on Jan. 6, were arrested Thursday.

Carolyn Johnson, a 75, and Willie Johnson, 75, both of Tyler, have been arrested after Jackson, who was wanted for murder, was located at their home on Highway 31 in Tyler.

They have both been charged with hindering apprehension, a third-degree felony. A $50,000 bond was set for each but were not booked into jail due to health reasons, police said. The charges will be presented to a grand jury for potential indictments to come down.

After being on the run since Jan. 6, Jackson was arrested Wednesday afternoon without incident. 

The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, including the Waco-area unit, joined the search Jackson on Jan. 7. While tracking him, they located video evidence of him at a Motel 6 on the north side of Waco, according to the Tyler Police Department. He was no longer there, but it was the last known location where he had been seen until he was found Wednesday at his grandparents’ house.

Investigators were following up on a search warrant for evidence of the homicide case at the Johnson house when they discovered Jackson on the property.

Jackson was booked into the Smith County Jail. His bond has been set at $1 million.

Russell was a mother of two children, including one of Jackson’s. The children are safe with other family members at this time, police said.

The young mother was known as a bright spot in her loved ones’ lives. Over $21,000 was raised through a GoFundMe to support her family and help them deal with the financial expenses associated with her tragic death.

Russell’s parents said in previous interviews that she had been on the run from Jackson, as he had allegedly been physically abusive to her in the past. The victim’s parents hope more light can be shed on the dangers of domestic violence and victims can learn of local resources available to them.

If someone is a victim of domestic violence, they can call the national hotline at 1-800-799-7233.