Death penalty off table for Lindale man accused of killing 2 with pickup

SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) - A pretrial hearing was held Wednesday in Tyler for a Lindale man accused of killing two people in December.

David Reed, 41, was in court Wednesday, where it was revealed that the State will not seek the death penalty in the murder case.

Reed was arrested after two people, identified as Shelby Duarte, 23, of Edgewood, Texas and Timothy Nelson, 43, of Lindale, were found dead inside a travel trailer on Old Mineola Highway near Lindale after Reed’s truck went off the roadway and crashed into the trailer.

After investigating and interviewing Reed, Smith County Sheriff’s Office said that the deaths were caused by an intentional wreck, and that Reed was previously in a relationship with Duarte.

According to the arrest affidavit, Reed told investigators that Duarte, his supposedly pregnant ex-girlfriend, was living with Nelson in the camper he struck with his truck. He told them he also had put propane tanks in his truck so that when he struck their trailer it would blow him up inside his truck.

His trial is scheduled for Oct. 4, 2021.