Warrant issued in 'brutal attack' that left 75-year-old Mt. Vern - KLTV.com - Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |ETX News

An East Texas man is wanted for the murder of a 75-year-old man in Mount Vernon. Authorities announced a warrant has been issued Saturday for 20-year-old James Arthur Crawford III. 

Crawford is wanted for the Sept. 2 murder of 75-year-old Kenneth Rex Raley at a home in the 900 block of Miller Street in Mount Vernon. He was discovered about 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the residence.

Crawford is described as having two tattoos near his left eye and has connections in the Marion County area. Previous arrest records show Crawford is a black male described as 6' 3'' and weighing 180 pounds.

According to a preliminary autopsy report released by the Southwest Institute of Forensic Sciences, the cause of death was blunt force trauma.

“This was a particularly brutal attack,” said Franklin County Sheriff Ricky Jones. “He sustained terrific trauma and was left to die in his own home.”

Authorities said Raley had a medical condition that would not allow for him to defend himself from the attack.

Records show Crawford has been arrested at least five times within the past three years for evading arrest, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and failure to identify/give false info. His most recent arrest was in March 2013 when Marion County Department of Public Safety Troopers arrested him for evading arrest. Crawford was sentenced to nine months in prison and was released December 20, 2013.

Mount Vernon Police, the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and Texas Rangers are investigating the murder of Kenneth Raley. 

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