5 arrested in overnight Tyler home invasion; Homeowner thankful to be alive

Published 9:25 am Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Kendrick Duncan

 Five people are in the Smith County jail tonight and charged with burglary after a Tyler man called 9-1-1 saying the suspects broke into his home.

CBS 19 was the first to speak to victims today.



Sean Bennett, one victim, says if it wasn’t for his dog, Yo-Yo…he doesn’t know if he’d be alive.

“My dog started growling, I just jumped up I sleep with a knife,” said Bennett.

Bennett says the growl made him nervous so he went to the living room, that’s where he saw a man holding up his friends after breaking in through the back door.

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“There was somebody in my living room, telling my friends to stay down…stay down…I didn’t even know they had a gun at the time,” he said.

Tyler Police have arrested Dexstell Murphy, Kendrick Phillips, Kevin Nelson, Kevron Jackson and Randrick Duncan all in connection to the alleged home invasion.

The residents of the home who were victims in the case got a good description of the suspect vehicle and suspects and although nothing was taken and no one hurt, Bennett says he wishes the guys never put him and his friends in danger. 

“It’s a shame though that they didn’t go and find regular jobs and actually work so that they could provide their own needs,” said Bennett.

Investigators are expecting this to be an isolated crime, so neighbors in the area are not to worry.

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Tyler Police Officers responded to a home invasion in progress at the 700 block of Lindsey Lane on Monday at about 2 a.m., according to police.

While en route to the scene, officers learned that the suspects had just fled the scene in a black colored Chevy Tahoe. Officer B. Cortez, who was in the area, quickly located the suspect vehicle and performed a traffic stop, according to police.

Additional officers arrived on scene and began an investigation. Evidence was found inside the vehicle that connected these subjects with the home invasion on Lindsey Lane. Five suspects were transported to the Tyler Police Department where they were interviewed by detectives, according to police. After the investigation was complete, the five suspects were taken to the Smith County Jail and charged with burglary.

According to police, the suspects were identified as Dexstell Murphy, 20; Kendrick Phillips, 21; Kevin Nelson, 20; Kevron Jackson, 20; and Randrick Duncan, 21.