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Grand jury scheduled to continue

Brad Kellar
/
Greenville Herald-Banner

The latest edition of the Hunt County grand jury is scheduled to continue this week and may consider whether or not to issue indictments in three shootings from earlier this year.

The panel convenes Friday for the second session of its six month term, during which local prosecutors will present evidence in felony cases for consideration by the 354th District Court.

The panel is unlikely to consider potential charges in three recent deaths — a shooting and two stabbings — which have been classified as homicides, as there are three shooting deaths which occurred in Hunt County between February and June which remain pending.

The specifics of the cases which are presented to a grand jury are kept confidential until such time as the panel decides whether or not to issue indictments.

The grand jury can either issue indictments — or “true bills” — or determine its investigation did not find sufficient evidence to issue an indictment, in which case a “no bill” is issued.

The indictments are issued open and made public, or are issued sealed if the subject named in the indictment has yet to be arrested and arraigned on the pending charge.

— Joshua Madison Newkirk has been charged with one count of murder in connection with the death of Joshua Gerber. Gerber’s February 14 death was the first murder reported inside the Caddo Mills city limits in several years. According to a report from the Caddo Mills Police Department, Newkirk allegedly shot Gerber three times with a .25 caliber pistol following an altercation at a residence on Farr Street in Caddo Mills.

— Carl Allen Welch was charged with one count of murder in connection with the death of Terry R. Cale. Cale was reported to have been shot multiple times outside of a residence on Archer Lane late on the night of May 16. Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks has said the shooting appeared to have been the result of a domestic disturbance earlier in the evening. Deputies arrived at the location to find Cale deceased in the front yard of the residence. Upon further investigation, deputies reportedly discovered a disturbance had taken place about one hour earlier between Cale and Welch at a residence on Nob Hill west of Quinlan.

— Estanislado Theodo Hernandez, 37, of Royse City was shot and killed June 28 during a birthday party at a residence on County Road 2737, according to Hunt County Sheriff Randy Meeks. No arrests have been reported in connection with the incident.