On November 4, 2023, at approximately 11:42 p.m., Upshur County Sheriff's deputies, along with Gilmer Police officers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, responded to a reported shooting at a residence in the 2800 block of U.S. Highway 271 South, near Bluebird Road in Gilmer, Texas. Upon arrival, they discovered the bodies of two sisters, 35-year-old Mandy Ray and 37-year-old Dermetrica Dashaunda Waters, both deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.
Witnesses at the scene provided information leading to the issuance of a capital murder arrest warrant for 41-year-old Alvin Charles McKnight, also known as "Pookie," of Gilmer. McKnight, described as a Black male standing 6 feet 5 inches tall, weighing approximately 280 pounds, with a muscular build and braided hair featuring blond highlights, was considered armed and dangerous.
Authorities noted that McKnight and Waters had recently ended a cohabiting relationship and shared a child, classifying the incident as an act of domestic violence.
Following the homicides, McKnight abandoned his vehicle, which was later located by Gladewater police on Tenery Street. His cell phone was last tracked near Gay Avenue early on November 5, after which it became untraceable. Investigators believed McKnight received assistance from family or friends to flee the area, leading to the arrest of his sister, 38-year-old Laquesha Monique McKnight of Longview, for interfering with the apprehension of a felon.
The Texas Department of Public Safety added McKnight to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List, offering a combined reward of $17,500 for information leading to his arrest. On November 15, 2023, McKnight was apprehended without incident by San Bernardino Police Department officers in California as he disembarked from a bus. He was subsequently extradited to Upshur County, where he was held on a $5 million bond.
On February 1, 2024, an Upshur County grand jury indicted McKnight on a capital murder charge for the deaths of Waters and Ray. During his arraignment on February 20, McKnight pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces either life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty. The case underscores the severe impact of domestic violence and the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies across state lines to apprehend fugitives and seek justice for victims.
