ZAVALLA, Texas — Arrest documents say an East Texas man accused of killing his uncle made 911 calls about conflicts between the two of them, including one in which he said he would do something about his uncle if law enforcement didn't.
Jeremy Wayne Gladden, 40, of Zavalla, was charged with murder in connection with the death of Lawrence Jason Wise, of Zavalla. Gladden was arrested in Johnson County, Arkansas after deputies found Wise's missing pickup truck and later located Gladden, Angelina County Sheriff Tom Selman said.
According to an arrest affidavit, Gladden called the Angelina County Sheriff's Office on Dec. 6 saying he was having a dispute with his uncle, Lawrence Jason Wise. Gladden then told deputies he was in the military special forces and if law enforcement didn't do something about Wise, he would.
Three days later, Gladden called police again about another disturbance with his uncle. Then, on Jan. 23, another person reported in a 911 call that they found a decomposed body in a shed about 10 miles southeast of Zavalla. The body, which appeared to have been decomposed by about three weeks, was then identified as Wise, the affidavit stated.
Neighbors reported they hadn't seen Gladden or Wise in about three weeks as well, the document read.
An autopsy determined that Wise was shot in the chest. A search of Gladden's camper found a stain on shoes that tested positive for blood, according to the affidavit. Law enforcement also noticed the same shoes had been worn by Gladden in previous interactions between deputies and Gladden in body cam footage.
When investigating the case, deputies learned Gladden left town and he had family in Arkansas, Selman said. Investigators also determined Wise's truck was missing. Johnson County, Arkansas deputies assisted ACSO deputies to find the truck and later Gladden.
The affidavit shows Gladden admitted to shooting Wise and leaving in Wise's vehicle in an interview.