NEWS
Family pours their pain out in courtroom as guilty plea is made in murder
Scott Cambre
In an emotionally charged hearing Monday, Scott Cambre pled guilty to the Oct. 31, 2014 murder of Wesley Brooks and was sentenced to 45 years in state prison.
Dressed in jail black and white stripes, and shackled hand and foot, Cambre, 29, quietly entered the plea confessing he shot the 28-year-old Bowie man and then attempted to dispose of the body in a burn pit behind his house.
District Attorney Paige Williams said the sentence was suitable for the case considering all the factors adding, “it is my job to seek justice not just confinement.”
The DA said the defendant had no criminal history and was a veteran, which were other contributing factors. Williams said the late Lt. Rick Beckham of the Bowie Police Department built a strong case, but it also would have been difficult to move forward without the lead detective as the key witness.
“Taking it all into consideration, 45 years is appropriate. He will have to serve a minimum of half his time before he is considered for parole, which would be about 22 and a half years, including the time served credit,” said Williams.
Wesley Brooks
The reading of the victim impact statements was heart-wrenching as anger, pain and loss poured from Brooks’ sisters, wife and mother.
Angela Garcia, Brooks’ oldest sister and one of three siblings, broke down several times during her statement, “we were three and now we are two, thank you Scott,” said Garcia.
Paula Terry, mother of Wesley Brooks, walked to the witness stand carrying a framed photo of her son and glared out to Scott Cambre, exclaiming he had taken her only son.
“It is inconceivable what you did. You have no compassion. You knew what you were doing, it was a horrific and gruesome act.”
Read the full story in the mid-week News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Trustees of the Bowie Independent School District welcomed one new member this week following the Nov. 5 election and accepted the 2023-24 outside audit with no exceptions.
Incumbent Trustee Jacky Betts returned to place one and Angie Christmas took the place two seat. After the board officers were dissolved with the new ones taking the oath, officers were elected. Betts will continue as president, Guy Green as vice president and Kent Dosch as secretary.
Paul Fleming of Edgin, Parkman, Fleming & Fleming, PC, presented the audit telling there were no issues and the process went smoothly. He noted the biggest change was the Legislature compressing the district tax rate and additional changes in the tax law. State aid formula grants increased due to the state’s funding formula compensating for lost property tax revenue due to the law change previously mentioned.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Information was the watchword for the second hospital/emergency room community meeting Tuesday night, as the steering committee was announced along with additional financial considerations.
About 50 people attended the meeting. Melody Gillespie, who was named chairperson for the committee, said the goal is to gather information to get it out into the community. This group was formed after the Bowie emergency room was closed by Faith Rural Health System in early October just shy of one year of operating in Bowie.
Kylie Ward, one of the public relations volunteers, said, “This committee is not here to force things on you and there are assumptions already we are proposing a tax. We are not, we don’t have that ability, we are just a research team here to explore all the options.”
Other members of the committee include Tiffany Chandler and Damon Benton handling finance and grant research; Jennifer Tellef, secretary; Valerie Tomerson, grant research; Ann Smith, PR and Margin Latham and Gillespie, legislative research. It was pointed out there are other members of the sub-committees who are helping with research, but they also invite anyone interested to help with the process.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – Jack County Judge Keith Umphress spoke at this week’s steering committee meeting. (Photo by Barbara Green)
The following indictments were filed with the 97th District Clerk following the November session of the Montague County Grand Jury.
There were a total of 13 indictments with one sealed awaiting the arrest of a suspect.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Read the full list of indictments in your mid-week Bowie News.
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