NEW BOSTON, Texas: Jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday morning in New Boston at the Bowie County courthouse for a man accused of ending a fight over a football game with a gun.
Takyme James, 40, was arrested a few days after the Dec. 3, 2017, shooting death of Tony Sanders at Sanders’ home in Texarkana, Ark.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Sanders and James were involved in a physical altercation earlier in the day at a club over a football game. Sanders allegedly punched James during the scuffle.
Sanders wife reported to police that she observed James, Clarence Willis, 46, and LaPrense Willis, 44, drive by her home and park around the corner the night of her husband’s death. The wife reported that Clarence Willis and James confronted Sanders in his driveway and that she hid in a bedroom in the house.
Sanders’ wife allegedly told officers she heard the sound of someone kicking in her front door before hearing a gunshot. Sanders suffered a severe gunshot wound to his upper right leg and died of his injury that night at a local hospital.
Arrest warrants were issued for the Willis brothers by the Texarkana, Texas, Police Dept. in the last several months. Laprense Willis appeared before 5th District Judge Bill Miller for a pre-indictment hearing last month. At the hearing, it was determined that Laprense Willis’ case would be referred to the Bowie County grand jury for possible indictment.
Clarence Willis recently finished serving a federal prison sentence for a drug-related offense. He is scheduled to appear Friday before Miller for a pre-indictment hearing.
Testimony is expected to begin Wednesday morning in James’ case. If convicted of murder, he is facing five to 99 years or life in prison.
