Three people arrested in killing of Bedford man who was shot and burned in his own car, authorities say

Three suspects, including a juvenile, have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a 20-year-old Bedford man whose body was found inside a burning car in East Texas, authorities said.

On September 1, the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office and firefighters responded to a vehicle fire. Human remains were discovered inside the car, according to a social media post from the sheriff’s office. Investigators suspected foul play and sent the body to Dallas for identification.

The victim, Kameron Montre Anderson of Bedford, was reportedly shot multiple times, authorities said.

Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said at a Sept. 7 news conference that he believes Anderson was lured to the area by social media and was shot at a Smith County residence. His body was placed in the trunk of his own vehicle, which was driven to neighboring Rusk County and set on fire.

Rusk County Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez told reporters at the news conference that investigators have been in contact with Anderson’s parents and are trying to piece together his life.

“What kind of man was he? What did he do? What were his hobbies? Those are the key elements in this investigation,” Valdez said. “Because that’s the only way we’re going to find out what caused this case to escalate to the point where he lost his life and burned alive in his own car.”

Anderson’s parents described their son as “a normal, everyday kid,” Valdez said. The victim lived with his mother, and there is no indication Anderson was involved in anything that could have led to his murder.

“He was a bit of a player, he loved life, he loved being around his family and friends,” Valdez said.

Both sheriff’s offices, along with the Texas Rangers, are cooperating in the investigation. Nathaniel Hall, 18, of Troup, has been identified as a potential suspect and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

On September 4, a Tyler police officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle with five people, including Hall, in possession of an AR-15 rifle and a 9mm handgun that were later found to be stolen.

The 9mm handgun was submitted for testing, but Smith and Valdez declined to share information about the type of weapon used to kill Anderson and the number of times he was shot, citing the ongoing investigation.

Hall was booked into the Smith County Jail on a capital murder charge. His bail was set at $2 million, authorities said.

Investigators interviewed Hall’s mother and sister and learned he was hanging out with Jasmine Williams, 21, of Tyler, and a 16-year-old friend the night of the murder. Smith said a witness heard them talking about “rips,” which is street slang for robbing someone.

The 16-year-old, whose identity has not been released due to his age, was found at a Tyler apartment complex. The juvenile attempted to flee, but was eventually arrested by Tyler police and booked into the Smith County Juvenile Detention Center.

Williams was turned over to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office by her mother on Sept. 8 and is currently being held at the Smith County Jail on $1 million bail, authorities said. There is no indication Anderson knew any of the suspects.

Authorities are not looking for any other suspects and said there is no current threat to the community.

Investigators are trying to obtain information from the victim’s personal computer, which they believe allowed Anderson to be contacted and lured to East Texas. They are also trying to obtain information from the cloud connected to the victim’s phone.

“This is a case that’s going to go on for a while,” Valdez said. “When you’re dealing with capital murder suspects, you want to make sure everything is done right.”

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