Bowie County grand jury hands down three murder indictments

Marquell Deonte Smith, 21, Brandon Eric Brown, 22, and Shametra Newton, 25, are accused of first degree murder in the death of Christopher Guilbeau. If found guilty the defendants face five to 99 years or life in prison.

 

Guilbeau, 24, was found dead in an alley by Texarkana, Texas police a couples of days after his family reported him missing to Texarkana, Ark., police, according to a probable cause affidavit. The day after a missing person report was filed, Smith and Brown were arrested by police in Tulsa, Okla., driving Guilbeau’s 2008 Dodge truck.

On March 6, callers to 911 gave information to Texarkana, Texas police leading to the discovery of Guilbeau’s body in an alley behind a duplex where Newton lived near Della and West Eleventh Streets in Texarkana, Texas. Newton was allegedly Smith’s girlfriend and had knowledge that Guilbeau was a robbery target before his death.

Smith and Brown were extradited from Oklahoma to Texas to face charges in August. Newton appeared in court for the first time this month. Smith, Brown and Newton are being held in the Bowie County jail with bails of $1 million.