Arrests made after fatal shooting

The Hill County Sheriff’s Office made three arrests Friday, October 6, after a 46-year-old man was shot and killed near Whitney.

According to reports, the sheriff’s office received a call at 10:46 a.m. Friday reporting that a man was shot in the 100 block of Bluegrass Street. Upon arrival, authorities found the victim, Cory Shelton, lying dead in the roadway. The responding deputies learned that a newer model black pickup had been seen speeding away from the area with two males and a female inside.

One male suspect was soon found at a convenience store at the corner of farm roads 933 and 2604. Law enforcement converged on the business, and the suspect was transported to the Hill County Law Enforcement Center.

At 2:26 p.m., the sheriff’s office received a call about a female who matched the description of one of the suspects sitting on a bench in the 900 block of South Bosque Street in Whitney. Whitney police officers responded and took her into custody after verifying that she was the woman being sought by investigators. She had an outstanding warrant for a parole violation.

At 4:25 p.m., the black truck was located in the 200 block of Ash Ridge, where authorities reported that efforts had been made to conceal the vehicle. Law enforcement then received information leading to the location of the final suspect, 31-year-old Charles Harris of Longview. He was found armed inside of a nearby recreational vehicle, reportedly refusing to exit. The sheriff’s office said that Harris had contacted acquaintances by phone, saying that he would “shoot it out” with the deputies.

A perimeter was set up and members of the Hill County Crisis Negotiations Team were able to establish contact with the man, eventually negotiating his surrender at 6:37 p.m.
Harris was booked into the Hill County Law Enforcement Center on the charge of murder.
In a press release, the sheriff’s office stated that the names of the other involved parties will be released if additional charges are filed.

Also responding were the Texas State Park Police, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Hill County constables, Hill County Emergency Management, Careflite, and the Bosque, Ellis and McLennan county sheriff’s offices.