Jeremy Gladden: Texas man charged with relative's murder after police recover victim's truck
JOHNSON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, A man who was accused of taking the vehicle of a dead Deep East Texas man was arrested in Arkansas and has been charged with murder, as per CBS 19 TV.
The defendant, 40-year-old Jeremy Wayne Gladden, is currently being held at the Johnson County jail in Arkansas, awaiting extradition back to Texas on allegations that he killed his relative, identified as 55-year-old Lawrence Jason Wise.
The police conducted an investigation to trap the accused
The Lone Star State's Angelina County Sheriff's Office received a request for a welfare check, which sparked the inquiry.
Wise's lifeless body was discovered on Tuesday, January 23, in a shed located near the intersection of Hutch Hopson and Hopsonville Roads, approximately 150 miles northeast of Houston, near the city of Zavalla.
Both victim and defendant are from Zavalla, the sheriff’s office said, as per Law and Crime.
Deputies said that Gladden had taken the victim’s vehicle from the area of the crime scene.
"During the death investigation, deputies found that Wise’s pickup was missing and that preliminary medical examiner findings during the autopsy revealed a possible gunshot wound,” they wrote in a release.
Investigators reported attempting to contact Wise's relative, Gladden, only to discover that he had left town.
Aware of Gladden's family ties in Arkansas, investigators reached out to their counterparts in Johnson County, Arkansas, to inquire about the possible location of the missing Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck, which was suspected to be at a residence near Coal Hill belonging to one of Gladden's relatives.
“The stolen truck was located at a residence on County Road 203, in the Rural Coal Hill area,” the Johnson County deputies wrote.
Cops seized the stolen truck
Despite Gladden not being present at either of the two residences, law enforcement obtained search warrants and successfully confiscated the stolen truck, as confirmed by authorities.
Johnson County deputies revealed that in the course of their search for the culprit, they determined the individual was hiding out in the city of Coal Hill. For context, Coal Hill is situated approximately 115 miles northwest of Little Rock.
“Utilizing an undercover officer, and members of the Patrol and Criminal Investigation Divisions an operation was conducted to lure Gladden out from hiding,” the sheriff’s office wrote.
“In the early morning hours of January 26, 2024. Gladden was apprehended by an undercover investigator when Gladden tried to secure a ride to escape the area. After walking up to the undercover investigator and after a short foot chase he was apprehended,” the sheriff’s office added.
Following a journey to the Johnson County sheriff's office, investigators from Angelina County, along with crime scene technicians, interviewed Gladden and conducted an examination of the truck for potential evidence, as outlined in the statement. The investigation remains ongoing.
In Texas, Gladden faces charges of first-degree murder and is currently held at the Johnson County jail. Additionally, he is accused of receiving stolen property, eluding capture on foot, and resisting arrest. As of now, there is no attorney listed for him.
