Published: March 04, 2009 10:18 am      

Weekend murder suspect turns himself in

Staff Report

A Teague, Texas man surrendered himself to Texas Rangers and Sheriff’s Investigators at the Parker County Justice Center Monday on murder charges stemming apparently from a weekend melee in Reno which left one man dead and another wounded.

Caden Hodges Newell, 31, remains in custody of county authorities after implicating himself in the killing of Tracey Lee Nickel or Reno in a dispute over weapons.

According to Sheriff Larry Fowler, Reno Police and Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a shooting call Saturday night in the 1700 block of Tower Road in Reno where they learned that the victim, 38-year-old Nickel, had been transported by an acquaintance to Harris Methodist Hospital in Azle where he was pronounced dead from an apparent gunshot.

According to a Sheriff’s report, Investigators and Texas Rangers were led to a nearby residence in the 4500 block of East Highway 199 where the shooting is believed to have occurred.

An arrest affidavit filed by Texas Ranger Sgt. Tony Bradford, states investigators believe two men, 26-year-old Lucas Ryan Doyle of Fort Worth, and Newell went to the house to confront Nickel over guns reportedly taken from an acquaintance of Doyle’s in Ft. Worth.

The affidavit further states authorities located Doyle at an Azle residence. He reportedly suffered a stab wound to his stomach that had been cleaned and dressed with a bandage. He told investigators he and Newell went to the victim’s address where a fight ensued between he and Nickel.

Doyle admitted to striking the victim with a mop handle when he was stabbed by Nickel. Nickel was reportedly then hit by gunfire. According to the affidavit Doyle saw Newell running from the front door of the residence right after the shooting and the pair fled.

Investigators were able to contact the acquaintance of the pair who cleaned Doyle’s wound. The man told Investigators that he was contacted by both Doyle and Newell about the incident and, in an excited phone call to him, Newell implicated himself in the shooting.

Newell’s bail was recommended at $100,000.00.