NEW BOSTON, Texas-Jury selection is expected to begin this morning at the Bowie County Courthouse for a Texarkana man accused of murder in a shooting allegedly connected to a football bet.
Takyme Devon James, 40, was indicted by a Bowie County grand jury earlier this year for murder in the Dec. 3, 2017, shooting death of Tony Sanders. James' case is scheduled for jury selection Tuesday before 5th District Judge Bill Miller.
James and Sanders allegedly were involved in a physical altercation at a club over a football game earlier in the day, according to a probable cause affidavit used to create the following account.
James allegedly met up with LaPrense Willis and Clarence Willis afterward and the three men allegedly traveled together to Sanders' home in the 3600 block of Jones Street in Texarkana, Texas, to confront Sanders that evening.
Sanders' wife allegedly told police she saw the three men drive by her home and park around the corner before seeing James and Clarence Willis confront her husband in the driveway. The woman reported that she was hiding in a back bedroom when she heard the front door being kicked in and the sound of a single gunshot.
Sanders was taken to a local hospital with a severe gunshot wound to his upper right leg and later died of his injury. Warrants charging LaPrense Willis and Clarence Willis with murder in Sanders' death were recently issued.
LaPrense Willis appeared before Miller in November for a pre-indictment hearing. Clarence Willis, who until last month was serving time on drug offense in federal prison, is scheduled to appear before Miller for a pre-indictment hearing Friday.
Murder is punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison.