It was supposed to be just another weekend night wrapping up with a late-night run for food. Instead, a local family is completely heartbroken after a sudden outburst of violence stole the lives of two young brothers. Jassiah Hill and James Morrow had everything going for them, but their journeys ended abruptly in the parking lot of a Marshall Whataburger early Saturday morning. The community is now wrestling with the heavy grief of a senseless double tragedy.
Both young men were well-known around East Texas for their incredible talent on the football field. Jassiah, who was just 18 years old, was a proud recent graduate of Longview High School where he shined as a Lobo. He had just secured a football scholarship to play for William Penn University up in Iowa. His older brother, 20-year-old James, graduated from Carthage High School and was already making waves as a Bulldog before playing for Trinity Valley Community College.
The gunshots rang out around 1:50 a.m. in the middle of the fast-food parking lot on Victory Drive. When first responders rushed to the scene, they found a chaotic and bloody situation with four people hit by gunfire. Emergency crews did everything they could, but both brothers were pronounced dead right there on the pavement. Two other victims were rushed to nearby medical facilities, and officials still have not released updates on how they are holding up.
The loss has sent shockwaves through the local schools and athletic programs where the brothers left a lasting impact. Coaches and teammates remember them not just as great athletes, but as young men with infectious energy and bright smiles. The sudden void left by their deaths has turned local football fields from places of celebration into spaces of deep mourning. Family friends and community members are now gathering to support the grieving parents during their darkest hour.
While the community grieves, local law enforcement agencies have been working around the clock to track down those responsible. The investigation quickly pointed toward three young men from the surrounding area. Nineteen-year-old Davion McDale Brown was the first to be taken into custody. Longview police tracked him down on Sunday, booking him into the Gregg County Jail before transferring him to the Harrison County Jail on a capital murder charge with a staggering $2 million bond.
The manhunt did not stop there as investigators kept digging into what happened that night. By Monday, the Longview police arrested a second suspect, 21-year-old Jamarrio Dominique Epps, who now faces a murder charge and is also being held on a $2 million bond. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place on Thursday when the third suspect, 18-year-old Cortavian Tatum, officially surrendered to the authorities and was booked into the Harrison County Jail.
Marshall Police Chief Cliff Carruth praised the seamless teamwork between the Texas Rangers, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, and other local departments that brought these suspects in. Police leaders stress that while these quick arrests cannot erase the unimaginable pain the family is feeling, they represent a critical first step toward real justice. The investigation remains very active, and anyone who saw anything that night is still encouraged to reach out to the Marshall Police Department.
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