June 23, 2022 – The two murder suspects Hopkins County officers tracked from Texas to Missouri last Wednesday night are now in Hopkins County jail on one murder charge each, according to arrest and jail reports.
The pair, accused of killing and dumping a 35-year-old man’s body in a wooded area, were transported Wednesday afternoon, June 22, 2022, by Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Elijah Fite, Frank Tiemann, Courtney Steward and Sgt. Tanner Steward from St. Louis, Missouri to Hopkins County jail; 27-year-old Diamonte Jakeli Paynes of Fort Worth and 20-year-old Aleigha Denise Coble of Colbert, Oklahoma, were booked in just after midnight and remained in Hopkins county jail late Thursday morning, June 23, 2022, in lieu of the $1 million bond set for each on the murder charge, according to jail reports.
HCSO deputies reported finding an abandoned vehicle when checking out a report of someone’s personal items being located on a county road north of Sulphur Springs Monday, June 13, 2022. The vehicle came back as being from the Dallas area. Authorities at that time believe it had been dumped in Hopkins County, but continued to investigate, Hopkins County Chief Deputy Tanner Crump stated in a June 14, 2022 release.
A further search of the area revealed a deceased male authorities believed to be associated with the vehicle. The deceased was reported to be the victim of a homicide believed to have been committed in the Metroplex area, with the deceased male and vehicle dumped in rural Hopkins County, HCSO authorities reported June 14.
“This evening two investigators from the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office, Texas and a Texas Ranger traveled to St Louis Missouri and arrested the two suspects in the homicide that was discovered Monday evening,” Crump noted in an update released an 8:35 p.m. June 15, 2022.
The victim of the homicide was identified as Giovanni Alexis Najarro of Dallas, a Hispanic male born in 1987.
Through continued investigation, authorities followed leads in the homicide investigation all the way to St. Louis, Missouri. Two members of Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and a Texas Ranger traveled Tuesday, June 14, 2022, to Missouri, where suspects Payne and Coble were taken into custody Wednesday evening, June 15, 2022, in connection with the homicide, Crump reported that night.
“Although the investigation is ongoing we do not believe anyone else is involved. I would like to commend all the officers involved for a job well done,” Tatum said of the local law enforcement’s work in making arrests in identifying suspects and getting arrests in the homicide case in 2 days.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
