© 2026 88.9 KETR
Public Radio for Northeast Texas
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Local stories. Trusted voices. 50 years strong. Your support keeps public radio free and local.

Wood County murder trial begins Tuesday

By Scott Harvey

Commerce – Jury selection begins Tuesday in Wood County District Court for the murder trial of Justin Tad Payne.

He's charged with the 2007 murders of his wife and step-son, who were found shot to death at their home north of Quitman.

The crime was initially thought to be a murder-suicide. Prosecutors would later come to believe Payne killed his wife and framed his step-son by making it appear the boy had committed suicide.