PANOLA COUNTY, TX - Five people were taken into custody early Tuesday morning following an armed home robbery outside Carthage, according to the Panola County Sheriff’s Office.
At approximately 4:15 a.m. on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, Panola County 911 received a call reporting an aggravated robbery at a residence in the 1300 block of Highway 315. Temperatures at the time were near 18 degrees. The caller reported multiple suspects wearing masks entered the home, bound the victims’ hands, and fled the scene.
Panola County Patrol Deputies were the first to respond, followed by Criminal Investigation Division investigators. Authorities quickly identified several suspects. Shortly afterward, a deputy searching the area located a suspect vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. The driver was arrested, and evidence connected to the robbery was recovered from the vehicle.
Investigators then obtained a search warrant from a judge in the 123rd Judicial District for a residence on Pollard Street in Carthage. The warrant was executed later that morning by the Panola County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team, with assistance from both local Constable’s Offices. Four additional suspects were arrested at the residence. Deputies also recovered stolen property and multiple firearms during the search.
Those arrested and booked into the Panola County Detention Center on charges of aggravated robbery are:
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Matthew Edward Owens
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Matthew Phillip Hunter
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Brandon Lee Moreno
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Jayleen Shaquille Patterson
During the response and investigation, deputies also arrested Dillon Gibbs on an outstanding warrant unrelated to the robbery.
All individuals were transported to the Panola County Detention Center without incident. Authorities stated the robbery appears to have been a targeted offense and do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the public.
The Panola County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Panola County Criminal District Attorney’s Office and Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace for their assistance in obtaining arrest warrants as the investigation continues.
