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Marques D. Hood -
Bryson Devonte lacy -
Xavier John Hill
| Crime
A third suspect has been arrested in connection with the death of 21-year-old Brayden Wooten of Sulphur Springs on Dec. 23, 2023, ruled by a medical examiner to be the result of a fentanyl overdose.
On Feb. 8, 23-year-old Marques D. Hood of Commerce was arrested at his residence on manufacture and delivery of narcotics and the murder of Wooten. The charges are reported to be the first murder charges filed in the state in connection with a fentanyl death since the new laws were put in place in September, officials reported late Friday afternoon.
Bryson Devonte Lacy, 21, and Xavier John Hill, 23, both of Sulphur Springs were arrested Dec. 28 Lacy was charged with tampering with evidence after he admitted to deleting text messages in connection with Wooten’s death. Hill and Lacy were both charged with the murder of Wooten based on their alleged involvement with the death of Wooten as a result of the fentanyl pills, Hopkins County Sheriff Lewis Tatum stated in news releases.
Hopkins County Sheriff ’s Office began the drug trafficking and murder investigation after finding Brayden Wooten at his residence, deceased. An American Forensics Medical Examiner in Mesquite ruled the cause of Wooten’s death a fentanyl overdose.
“This is a tragedy for everyone, our whole community. This affects the families of the victim who is now deceased. This affects the suspects and their families. They’ve destroyed their families. The citizens of Hopkins County and our nation are all suffering together from this fentanyl,” Tatum said following Hood’s arrest.
During the course of the investigation, officers learned pills taken by Wooten were delivered by two suspects. The investigation continued, to the point Lacy and Hill were arrested Dec. 28 in connection to Wooten’s death, Tatum reported.
In a joint effort to arrest the supplier of the Fentanyl-laced pills, the Hopkins County and Sulphur Springs Police Department SWAT Team, Commerce Police Department, and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and Criminal Investigation Division agents executed a search warrant at Marques Dshanwn Hood’s Commerce residence. During the search, approximately 1,200 fentanyl-laced pills, an AK-47style rifle and a Glock pistol were located; the pills are estimated to have a street value of about $12,000, Tatum alleged.
“They located over 12-hundred fentanyl pills in that residence. That means we could have possibly had 12-hundred deaths,” Tatum said.
Authorities transported Hood to Hunt County jail, where the 23-yearold Commerce man was booked in on the murder charge. He also faces a manufacture and delivery of narcotics charge.
“This case is the cornerstone to spreading awareness of the dangers of Fentanyl and what can happen when you give narcotics to someone and it is attributed to their death; you will be arrested and prosecuted. The Hopkins County Sheriff ’s Office is dedicated to keeping the citizens of Hopkins County and surrounding areas safe. Although the family of Brayden Wooten is still mourning the loss of their son, we can rest easy knowing that the people responsible for his death are now in custody,” Tatum said.
Bond for all three men was set at $1 million on the murder charge, according to arrest reports.