Tyler Paper reporter Katecey Harrell recognized by SPJFW and Texas Veterans Commission

Published 5:30 am Tuesday, April 1, 2025

From Staff Reports

Over the weekend, Tyler Morning Telegraph multimedia journalist Katecey Harrell won two first-place awards from the Fort Worth Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJFW).

Harrell was among winners announced Friday at the 22nd annual SPJFW First Amendment Awards and Scholarship Banquet. Two of her 2024 stories were recognized in the print under 100,000 circulation and online digital news outlets under 100,000 reach category.

Defending the

Disadvantaged

– Story that

illustrates problems of the powerless

in society

One of the awarded stories, ”East Texas veteran’s suicide sparks criticism over VA healthcare,” was praised for covering the struggles of a veteran and his family with the Veterans Affairs healthcare system. Judges said the story highlighted problems in the system while also showing efforts to improve care for veterans.

“When I got the news from my mother about a man, Chris Burroughs, posting on social media about his father, Dan, a Navy veteran, who died by suicide after trying to get help from the VA hospital, I knew I had to tell their story,” Harrell said. “As the daughter of a Navy veteran myself, I connected immediately with Chris. Every part of the process was emotionally difficult, but I’m grateful to have been the person to tell this story.”

Jordan Green, who writes for the Tyler Paper’s sister paper the Longview News-Journal, assisted Harrell in compiling information about local veterans resources to include in the story.

This story also recently earned Harrell a first-place award in the print category of Texas Veteran Commission’s Excellence in Media Awards. These statewide annual awards recognize work that is “exemplary in researching, reporting, writing and/or production to foster public understanding on veterans’ issues.”

Green earned the same TVC award in 2024 for a four-part series, “East Texas veterans adjust to life after military service.”

Investigative

– In-depth story

or series that uses public records

Harrell’s second story honored by the SPJ, “Tyler man faces 99 years for crime he says he didn’t commit,” was recognized for strong reporting and teamwork. Harrell worked on the story with CBS19’s Brennon Gurley, who helped gather information for the investigation.

Harrell recalled the moment Daryl Davis, the subject of the story, reached out, sharing his journey with her.

“When he reached out, he said it was a long shot. He jokes now that no one wanted anything to do with him, until I picked up the office phone and said, ‘Meet me in the lobby.’ It took some time and effort to pull together all the information, but it was life-changing for him.

“Daryl tells me, ‘You are the truth.’ He said his story had been heard in Houston, but no one in East Texas knew about it. Brennon and I changed that, and he says we kept him alive. It’s the most impactful piece of journalism I’ve written to date.”

About a month after Harrell’s story, Davis accepted a plea deal, successfully avoiding a 99-year prison sentence.

Both stories demonstrate Harrell’s dedication to in-depth journalism, earning her well-deserved recognition for her work in 2024.

“I was thrilled to hear this news,” managing editor Santana Wood said. “Katecey texted me Friday night, and I stopped in my tracks to read her text with my jaw dropped — though I was certainly not surprised to see her work get the win. Katecey is a stellar journalist, and these two stories demonstrate her genuine desire to tell powerful stories that can make a difference.

“These are the kind of stories that some journalists might shy away from. They are certainly not easy, but man, if sharing stories like those of Daryl Davis and Mr. Burroughs can effect even the slightest change, that’s progress. And I’m proud to see a journalist like Katecey taking on that challenge with integrity and true passion. We’re all really proud of her.”

Both stories came from tips that turn into stories only because of dedicated journalists who are paying attention and truly care about their communities, Wood said.

“This type of journalism comes from really listening to the caller on the other end of the phone, sitting down and truly hearing the resident who walked in the office with a concern, and really digging into a social media post instead of scrolling past it,” Wood said. “That’s what Katecey did in both cases here. It’s truly the heart of community journalism.”

Harrell has been working at the Tyler Morning Telegraph since April 2023. Her main beat is Smith County and Tyler government, but she covers a variety of stories for the newspaper. She also writes for its lifestyle magazine, ETX View. Harrell is a Texas native and an alum of UT-Arlington, where she majored in in Journalism and Women’s Studies. She previously worked for The Mexia News, The Groesbeck Journal and The Shorthorn.