Man Sentenced to Death for Murder of East Texas Deputy in 2019 Traffic Stop

On December 31, 2019, Gregory Newson was involved in the murder of Deputy William Christopher Dickerson during a traffic stop in Panola County in East Texas. Newson, who was transporting a large amount of marijuana, $5,500 in cash, and an illegally possessed AR-15 with armor-piercing ammunition, shot and killed Deputy Dickerson after being pulled over at approximately 2:00 AM.

After being stopped, Newson exited his vehicle and opened fire on Deputy Dickerson, striking the officer multiple times. Dickerson returned fire, wounding Newson in the legs, but was ultimately left to die from his injuries. Newson fled the scene, continuing to fire at other officers during a subsequent pursuit. He was apprehended about an hour later after rolling his car, still in possession of the murder weapon, additional ammunition, drugs, and cash.

Dickerson, 28, was an eight-year veteran of the Texas Army National Guard and had been with the Panola County Sheriff’s Office for eight years, where he served as a deputy and a member of the Panola County Honor Guard. He also served his community as a member of the Carthage Volunteer Fire Department and coached in the Panola County Girls’ Softball Association. Dickerson left behind his wife Krista and their two daughters, Kensley and Chelsey Dickerson.

Newson was charged with capital murder of a peace officer. The jury unanimously determined that he was a continuing threat to society and sentenced him to death, with no mitigating factors presented to prevent the capital punishment. The prosecution was led by Assistant Attorneys General Natalie Tise, Wesley Mau, and Matthew Ottoway, with assistance from legal assistant Michael Roberts and Sergeant David Fugitt of the Criminal Investigations Division.