Longview Murder Suspect Back in Custody

LONGVIEW – A Kilgore man, who had been out of jail on bond following a Longview murder, is back in jail today. Gary Joe Murphy, 52, had been out on a $10,000 bond. He had earlier admitted to the stabbing of Arnold Lee McCollaum, 47, Jr., of Longview, in September of last year. He told officers he had held him down until he bled to death. He had been out on bond because the Gregg County District Attorney’s office had failed to indict him within a 90-day deadline. The Longview News Journal reports American Bail Bonds filed an affidavit stating they intended to surrender the bond because Murphy did not contact his bondsman.

Murphy had been out on bond since early February. He was released on the condition that he keep in contact with a pre-trial services officer. He was also to submit to random drug tests. Longview police arrested him last Friday on the affidavit of surrender.