Lufkin Man Charged With Capital Murder in 2008 Cold Case Homicide

A Lufkin man is behind bars after being arrested and charged with Capital Murder for his involvement with a homicide that took place over 15 years ago in Tarrant County.

According to a report from WFAA, on October 4, law enforcement from the Grand Prairie Police Department, Texas Rangers, and the Lufkin Police Department apprehended Jerry Lee Gardner, 44, at his residence.

He was taken into custody and booked into the Angelina County Jail for Capital Murder as well as other outstanding charges such as issuance of a bad check and operating a vehicle with an expired driver's license. Gardner was then transferred to the Tarrant County Jail where he is currently held under a $1 million bond.

Details of the 2008 Homicide

WFAA reports that on August 8, 2008, the Grand Prairie Fire Department responded to a structure fire. Firefighters found a deceased man inside the house. He was identified as Raymond Hernandez, who was 45 years old at the time of his death.

An autopsy would later reveal that Hernandez was the victim of a homicide.

DNA was collected at the scene of a possible suspect, however, no possible matches were developed from the sample. In 2022, cold case detectives used genealogical testing technology to identify a potential suspect's DNA, and then in September 2024, a lead was developed through the genealogical search.

Previous Angelina County Arrests

Gardner was also charged with serious offenses in Angelina County in 1998 (cocaine possession, deadly conduct, unlawfully carrying a weapon) and in 2000 (reckless driving, assault causing bodily injury).

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