Four men charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a Texarkana father earlier this year were scheduled for trials at hearings Wednesday at the Bi-State Justice Building.
Anthony Wilson, 19, appeared before 102nd District Judge Bobby Lockhart with Bowie County Chief Public Defender Rick Shumaker Wednesday morning. Lockhart scheduled Wilson’s trial for Feb. 14 next year. Marshall Vallejos, 23, stood with Texarkana attorney Bart Craytor because his attorney, Butch Dunbar, was unavailable Wednesday. Lockhart set Vallejos for trial Feb. 21.
The status of Jaquelle Rogers’ representation is unclear. Lockhart appointed Texarkana lawyer Randle Smolarz to represent Rogers, 21, at an earlier hearing but Wednesday Craytor told Lockhart he has been retained by Rogers’ family. At the end of the hearing, Lockhart said Smolarz is still on the case.
Jailon Gamble, 20, appeared with Texarkana lawyer Joe Tyler. Lockhart said he intends to set Gamble’s case for jury selection in either March or April when he has a firmer idea of the court’s trial schedule in the next couple of months.
All four men are accused in connection with the fatal shooting March 29 of Casey Smith, 28, in front of a house on Mamie Street in Texarkana, Texas. Three of the defendants allegedly approached Smith as he waited in his car for his children’s school bus, according to a probable cause affidavit. The fourth waited close by in a car.
When Smith struggled with the men as they tried to rob him, Vallejos allegedly shot him in the face. Wilson allegedly fired shots as well. Vallejos was shot in the leg during the altercation and was arrested the next day when he sought treatment at a local hospital.
All four have been charged with capital murder and first degree murder in indictments that were issued by a Bowie County grand jury in June. Capital murder is punishable by death or life without parole. If convicted of first degree murder, the men face five to 99 years or life in prison.
All of the defendants are being held in the Bowie County jail.
