Tahbari Collins, a 20-year-old African American male from Houston, Texas, was tragically killed on August 24, 2017, in Howe, Texas. The incident occurred on U.S. Highway 75, where Collins was shot while sitting in the front passenger seat of his car. The shooting stemmed from a confrontation at a Valero gas station in Tushka, Oklahoma, involving Collins and the suspects.
The suspects, believed to be from Dallas, followed Collins and his friends from Oklahoma to Texas, where the fatal shooting took place. Collins sustained two gunshot wounds to his chest, one of which went through his heart and lungs, leading to his death.
The investigation into Collins' death revealed that the shooting was the result of a botched drug deal involving $10 worth of marijuana. Collins and his friends had taken the marijuana from the suspects without paying for it, which led to the confrontation and subsequent chase. The suspects, driving a black Toyota Camry, followed Collins' car for approximately 50 miles before opening fire on U.S. Highway 75 in Howe. The suspects fired five shots from a semi-automatic pistol into Collins' car, two of which struck and killed him. The black Camry was last seen speeding through Van Alstyne shortly after the shooting.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Howe Police Department, the Texas Rangers, and the Plano and Kansas City Police Departments. After a lengthy investigation, Kelvon Eugene Gray, a 29-year-old African American male from Kansas City, Missouri, was identified as the shooter. Gray was arrested at his home in Kansas City and extradited to Texas in June 2019. He was charged with the murder of Tahbari Collins and was found guilty by a Grayson County Jury. The jury deliberated for less than 90 minutes before reaching their verdict and took another hour to decide on Gray's sentence. Gray was sentenced to 60 years in prison for the murder of Tahbari Collins.
The case highlights the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies across state lines and the use of various investigative techniques, including surveillance, cell tower data, and social media analysis, to track down the suspects. The tragic death of Tahbari Collins serves as a reminder of the dangers associated with drug-related activities and the importance of thorough investigations in bringing justice to the victims and their families.
