E-T SPORTS
A PIVOTAL WEEKEND
E-T DIGITAL
Cassidy Cline and the Bees secured the 7-3A championship Friday, while the Jackets inched closer to the same feat. Tarleton’s teams then hit the hardwood on Saturday…Page B1
Empire-Tribune STEPHENVILLE
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Sun day, F eb r uar y 3, 2013
Still no arrest in Friday slaying
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STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS H CITY OF CHAMPIONS
$1. 50
2 shot dead at Rough Creek Lodge Chris Kyle, author of “American Sniper” among the dead
BY DONNIE BRYANT
BY SARA VANDEN BERGE
donnie.bryant@empiretribune.com
sara.vandenberge@empiretribune.com
Joint investigation among Erath County Sheriff ’s Office, the Texas Rangers, Department of Public Safety and the Stephenville Police Department are ongoing in the homicide case of Jeffrey Vegas Sewalt, 56. The Sheriff ’s Office had received word of the shooting that resulted in the death of Sewalt who was found lying in an enclosed porch at his home off Pigeon Road Friday afternoon reportedly by his girlfriend. “Mr. Sewalt suffered a gunshot wound to the head,” Sheriff Office Capt. Jason Upshaw reported. “We have interviewed numerous people, and everyone has been extremely cooperative with law enforcement.” Upshaw stated the same people will be interviewed several times over the next few days as new information becomes available. Motive is unknown at this time and no arrests have been made. Sewalt’s body was sent to the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy, and results are pending.
A former Tarleton State University student who wrote the best-selling book, “American Sniper,” was one of two victims shot and killed at Rough Creek Lodge Saturday. Chris Kyle, 38, and another man were found dead at Rough Creek’s shooting range between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Saturday, according to Sheriff Tommy Bryant. Eddie Ray Routh, an Iraqi war veteran, was arrested hours later after a manhunt led authorities to Lancaster where Routh was taken into custody just before 9 p.m. Saturday. Routh, 25, is expected to be charged with capital murder. Investigators had not released the name of the second victim at press time, but reports indicate he may have been Routh’s neighbor. Bryant said the three men were at the shooting range Saturday when Routh shot the victims at Chris Kyle point-blank range before fleeing in Kyle’s truck . Kyle was a former Navy SEAL who served four tours of duty in Iraq, where he was given the nickname “The Devil of Ramadi” by insurgents. In 2008, he made his longest successful shot after he spotted an insurgent with a rocket launcher near a U.S. Army convoy at a range of 2,100 yards (1.2 miles). Kyle was recently honored by the Tarleton Alumni Association as the Outstanding Young Alumnus for 2013. “Our hearts go out to Chris’ family and friends at this tragic moment,” Tarleton State University President, Dr.
Investigators were on scene Friday working what appears to be a murder investigation. JESSIE HORTON /E-T
See KYLE on Page A2
BUSINESS NEWS
DREAM SEASON
Meet InterBank’s new president
Commemorative football magazine on shelves now
BY DONNIE BRYANT
more banks and subsequently founded donnie.bryant@empiretribune.com InterBank. But Martin was emphatic that each bank was allowed to retain its Stephenville learned change was unique, community flavor. All banks in coming to town last November when it the InterBank family will carry its logo was announced InterBank was acquirwith the town’s name above it. ing locally owned Town “What you are going to and Country Bank. And find is this company grew Monday morning saw the up in community banks,” genesis of a new banking he said. “And this bank will arrangement. be Stephenville InterBank. President of the Central There will be no other SteTexas Region of Interphenville InterBank.” Bank Mark Martin was Martin realizes there are visibly excited about the some Town and Country cusmove to Stephenville. tomers who might be a bit “InterBank is here troubled by the changes they because it is such a great see in the institution, but he opportunity to be in wants them to know they will Stephenville,” he said. “It’s be minor adjustments and Mark Martin a wonderful place, and stressed the positive aspects I have a big background of being part of a bigger here - it’s almost like compicture. ing home for me.” “Let me tell you what it is going to A Breckenridge boy by birth, Martin mean to you,” he said. “You are going to has strong ties to the area, having besee a different sign out by the street very come a Tarleton State University student soon. As you reorder checks, you will see in the fall of 1970. Four years later, he a new bank name on your check.” graduated with a degree in business In addition to no discernible interrupadministration. tion in operations of the institution, he His next move was into the oil and reflected on how being a part of a family gas industry, and that field is what led to of banks will benefit its customers. his eventual entrance into the world of “We are bigger, and we have more banking. resources,” he said. “I had a partner I worked with in the And what about those checks that oil and gas industry and he bought a many still have stashed in desk drawbank in Breckinridge,” Martin explained. ers, sporting the Town and Country “I went to work for him, and I was there logo? Martin said customers can use the for 15 years.” His friend would go on to acquire See BANK on Page A2
Good morning, Subscriber Gary Henderson, Stephenville, TX
20 pages H Vol. 113, No. 25 H ©2013
BY JESSIE HORTON
jessie.horton@empiretribune.com
Copies of Dream Season are on sale now at various locations throughout Stephenville including HEB, WalMart and
E-T Sports Editor Brad Keith holds up a copy of “Dream Season,” a magazine chronicling the Yellow Jackets’ road to the state championship. The magazine is on shelves now. SARA VANDEN BERGE/E-T
the Empire-Tribune office, located at 590 E. South Loop. The Stephenville High School Yellow Jackets completed the 2012 season 13-1 and earned the school district’s fifth state title. Only 17 schools have done so in Texas football history. As the excitement from the 2012 3A Division I State Championship continues, the Empire-Tribune has released Dream Season, a commemorative magazine that follows the team from the first snap to the final seconds of the championship game at Cowboys Stadium. E-T Sports Editor Brad Keith said it was an honor to cover such high-caliber high school football and the magazine is a great way to share the newspaper’s passion with the community. “Covering the state championship was an awesome experience for us and I’m sure it was an awesome experience for everyone in this community who had the opportunity to take part in the playoff journey,” Keith said. “It was a fun and memorable year. It truly was a ‘dream season.’” The magazine includes features on the championship journey, the record-setting offense and coach Mike Copeland’s fifth state title, as well as photos from the championship celebration and throughout the season. See MAGAZINE on Page A2