Julian Esparza
Reporter/Anchor
East Texas
:no_upscale()/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/gray/67dc9131-5a6d-471e-966c-af96ae78ce1e.png)
Julian Esparza is a reporter and weekend anchor at KLTV/KTRE.
Julian is from McKinney, Texas and graduated from the University of North Texas in 2019 where he majored in journalism and minored in political science and history. During college, Julian interned with NBC 5 in Dallas and CBS Sunday Morning in New York City. In addition, Julian also worked as a reporter at UNT’s student-run TV station, ntTV.
Julian was awarded a Lone Star EMMY Student Production Award for his work at ntTV.
Julian is very excited to be here and telling the stories of East Texans!
Education
Updated: May. 25, 2022 at 12:18 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and KLTV Digital Media Staff
A Tyler man accused of sexually abusing a child has been convicted after only 20 minutes of jury deliberation.
Updated: May. 25, 2022 at 9:14 AM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and Christian Terry
The former attorney of convicted serial killer William Davis pleaded guilty to a charge of solicitation of a prostitute Wednesday.
Updated: Apr. 9, 2022 at 12:49 PM CDT
|By Gary Bass and Julian Esparza
A hostage situation is ongoing in the Oakland community in Cherokee County.
Updated: Feb. 19, 2022 at 8:02 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza
Tyler police are investigating after a person was hit by a vehicle Saturday night.
Updated: Feb. 14, 2022 at 4:26 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza
East Texans faced challenge after challenge the week of the winter storm, but for one East Texas couple, it wasn’t all bad.
Updated: Jan. 31, 2022 at 11:14 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza
A hearing is underway to decide whether an inmate convicted in his daughter’s death receives a new trial.
Updated: Jan. 14, 2022 at 12:01 AM CST
|By Julian Esparza
The state of Texas broke a pandemic record − reporting nearly 76,000 COVID-19 cases in a single day on Wednesday. In the last week, more than 300,000 Texans have tested positive, according to the state health department.
Updated: Jan. 12, 2022 at 7:48 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza
The city of Tyler said the Tyler City Council approved a consulting contract with Toole Design on Wednesday, Jan. 12, for the development of a concept to support revitalization efforts in the downtown area.
Updated: Jan. 6, 2022 at 8:54 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza
By now, many of us are familiar with getting a COVID-19 test. But now, a different type of test for the virus is being conducted in East Texas. Researchers are finding the virus in our wastewater.
Updated: Dec. 16, 2021 at 11:48 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza
$800 million from the American Rescue Plan was made available to Texas schools this fall − primarily to assist districts with COVID-19 testing. So far, the vast majority of that money has gone unspent.
Updated: Dec. 15, 2021 at 11:55 PM CST
|By Gary Bass and Julian Esparza
Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse has said that his office plans to file additional charges against the parents whose 18-month-old child was found dead in a home in the Henderson County area.
Updated: Dec. 9, 2021 at 10:27 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza and Stewart Smith
The jury found Martin Reynolds guilty of first degree murder on Wednesday night.
Updated: Dec. 8, 2021 at 11:06 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza and Stewart Smith
The jury delivered the guilty verdict on a charge of murder Wednesday night following five hours of testimony. The jury will hear testimony on punishment on Thursday.
Updated: Nov. 24, 2021 at 6:17 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza
For Thanksgiving, it will be the highest we’ve seen in eight years. Today in Tyler, the average is $3.03. A year ago on this day, it was $1.79 just because fewer people were traveling.
Updated: Nov. 23, 2021 at 9:55 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza
Mask wearing, hand washing, and staying home helped play a role in bringing down the number of flu cases during the 2020-2021 season, according to the CDC.
Updated: Nov. 18, 2021 at 5:54 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza
The widening of FM 2493 from Flint to Bullard in Smith County is being delayed.
Updated: Nov. 18, 2021 at 4:37 PM CST
|By Gary Bass and Julian Esparza
The Texas Department of Public Safety has released the names of the UT Health paramedics who were involved in a fatal two-vehicle wreck that occurred on U.S. Highway 69 in Hunt County Wednesday night.
Updated: Nov. 16, 2021 at 11:37 PM CST
|By Julian Esparza
Community spread of COVID-19 in East Texas has reached its lowest level in several months.
Updated: Nov. 3, 2021 at 6:53 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
Kids ages 5 to 11 are now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC gave final recommendation Tuesday night to move forward with vaccinating kids.
Updated: Oct. 27, 2021 at 10:37 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
The fifth day of testimony in the sentencing phase of the capital murder trial for a former nurse found guilty of injecting air into is patients’ bloodstreams started Wednesday morning.
Updated: Oct. 26, 2021 at 9:32 AM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and Christian Terry
The prosecution continued to call witnesses as day four of the sentencing phase of the William Davis trial got underway Tuesday.
Updated: Oct. 22, 2021 at 6:58 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
William Davis, 37, of Hallsville, has been convicted on a charge of capital murder. A jury is hearing testimony to determine whether he will get the death penalty or serve life in prison.
Updated: Oct. 21, 2021 at 9:27 AM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
The second day of sentencing has begun for a former Tyler nurse found guilty of injecting air into his patients’ bloodstreams.
Updated: Oct. 20, 2021 at 9:18 AM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and Christian Terry
The first witness was called by the prosecution. The witness, who was named Larry, said he worked with William Davis’ father.
Updated: Oct. 19, 2021 at 2:55 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and Christian Terry
Davis, a former East Texas nurse, is accused of killing patients during his time working at a Tyler heart hospital.
Updated: Oct. 18, 2021 at 10:01 AM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and Christian Terry
The trial of a former East Texas nurse accused of killing patients during his time working at a Tyler heart hospital continued Monday.
Updated: Oct. 13, 2021 at 8:58 AM CDT
|By Julian Esparza, Christian Terry and KLTV Digital Media Staff
The state rested its case in the murder trial for William Davis, a former East Texas nurse accused of killing patients during his time working at a Tyler heart hospital, Wednesday morning.
Updated: Oct. 12, 2021 at 11:15 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and Christian Terry
The trial of a former East Texas nurse accused of killing patients during his time working at a Tyler heart hospital continued Tuesday.
Updated: Oct. 11, 2021 at 9:32 AM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and Christian Terry
The trial of a former East Texas nurse accused of killing patients during his time working at a Tyler heart hospital continued Monday.
Updated: Oct. 8, 2021 at 12:11 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and Carrie Provinsal
The prosecution presented more witness testimony Friday in the trial of a former East Texas nurse accused of killing patients.
Updated: Oct. 7, 2021 at 6:50 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and Christian Terry
Testimony continued Thursday in the trial of a former East Texas nurse accused of killing patients during his time working at a Tyler heart hospital.
Updated: Oct. 6, 2021 at 11:18 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and Christian Terry
The seventh day of the trial for a former East Texas nurse accused of killing patients during his time working at a Tyler heart hospital got underway Wednesday.
Updated: Oct. 5, 2021 at 11:07 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and Christian Terry
The sixth day of the trial for a former East Texas nurse accused of killing patients during his time working at a Tyler heart hospital got underway Tuesday.
Updated: Oct. 1, 2021 at 11:59 AM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and KLTV Digital Media Staff
The fourth day of the trial of a former East Texas nurse accused of killing patients during his time working at a Tyler heart hospital got underway Friday.
Updated: Sep. 30, 2021 at 9:47 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and KLTV Digital Media Staff
Day three of the trial for a former East Texas nurse accused of killing patients began in Thursday.
Updated: Sep. 29, 2021 at 10:11 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and KLTV Digital Media Staff
The trial for a former East Texas nurse accused of killing patients began in Tyler Tuesday.
Updated: Sep. 29, 2021 at 9:21 AM CDT
|By Julian Esparza and KLTV Digital Media Staff
The trial of William Davis, the former East Texas nurse who is accused of killing patients, entered its second day Wednesday.
Updated: Sep. 22, 2021 at 9:17 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
COVID-19 transmission levels in East Texas remain at some of the highest levels seen at any point during the pandemic.
Updated: Sep. 20, 2021 at 10:27 PM CDT
|By KLTV Digital Media Staff and Julian Esparza
The school board of Tyler Independent School District met on Monday night to discuss whether or not to require masks for those in its schools.
Updated: Sep. 2, 2021 at 11:02 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
As the number of COVID-19 patients in area hospitals continues to rise, East Texas funeral homes say they’re now seeing another increase in COVID-19 related deaths.
Updated: Sep. 1, 2021 at 9:10 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
As the clock ticked past midnight, a new law banning abortion as early as six weeks into a pregnancy took effect Wednesday in Texas after a last-minute effort by abortion providers to stop the law was unsuccessful.
Updated: Aug. 25, 2021 at 7:03 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
After cutting the property tax rate by .09 cents in 2020, the new budget proposes raising that rate by 1.09 cents. If approved, the new property tax rate would be .2699 cents per $100 valuation.
Updated: Aug. 24, 2021 at 5:48 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
This week marks one year since then 18-year-old Tyress Gipson of Jacksonville was reported missing. He has never been found, despite four people being arrested in connection with his disappearance.
Updated: Aug. 18, 2021 at 7:41 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
Days after the Taliban took over Afghanistan, the Refugee Services of Texas is now working to help hundreds of Afghan nationals resettle in the Lone Star State.
Updated: Aug. 17, 2021 at 11:28 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
In their latest report, the centers for Medicare and Medicaid says 82.4% of nursing home residents nationwide have been vaccinated, and 60% of nursing home staff has been vaccinated. In Texas, the numbers are slightly lower. 77.1% of residents are vaccinated and 56.7% of staff are vaccinated.
Updated: Aug. 12, 2021 at 11:44 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
Two East Texas lawmakers are moving forward, refiling bills relating to mask mandates and transgender students participating in sports.
Updated: Aug. 11, 2021 at 10:15 AM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
The City Council voted Aug. 11 to examine traffic crash history on Grande Boulevard between Gleneagles Drive and Shady Oaks Drive an area with a history of multiple traffic accidents.
Updated: Aug. 10, 2021 at 5:25 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
As East Texas COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to climb faster than at any point in the pandemic, vaccinations are trending upwards again.
Updated: Aug. 4, 2021 at 10:30 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
Dr. Renee Hebbeler-Clark has been busy treating not only a growing number of COVID-19 patients, but also those who have recovered from the virus and are still experiencing lingering health effects. She’s one of a team of doctors who have seen patients since the hospital’s COVID-19 recovery clinic opened in May.
Updated: Jul. 29, 2021 at 11:12 PM CDT
|By Julian Esparza
Elvis is alive -- in a Smith County real estate showing.