Ruben Gutierrez wants to be able to sue prosecutors to compel them to test evidence that he says will prove he did not kill a Brownsville woman in 1998.
Ayden Runnels
Ayden Runnels is the afternoon/evening reporter. Previously, they were a breaking news reporter for the Las Vegas Sun. A graduate of the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas, Ayden was a Dallas Press Club Foundation reporting fellow at the Tribune in 2023. They were born in the Houston suburb of Clear Lake and speak English and Arabic. They served as editor-in-chief of the North Texas Daily, UNT's student-run newspaper, and have worked on freelance projects for Newsweek.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
Texas Lottery remains in lawmakers’ sights despite move to ban third-party sales of tickets
The policy shift was announced before state senators, skeptical of the move, grilled officials with the department and courier services in a hearing on SB 28.
Posted in
State Government
Texas Lottery commissioner resigns as agency faces legislative scrutiny
Clark Smith, one of five members of the commission, stepped down Friday as lawmakers have raised questions about the role of lottery couriers and agency governance.
Posted in
Politics
Texas Lottery ticket sales to third-party services fuel controversy and questions about the agency’s future
While the Lottery Commission says it can’t regulate sales to couriers, lawmakers want changes after two major jackpots were won using those services.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas executes inmate who killed two men in Killeen in 2004
In his final statement, Richard Tabler asked for forgiveness from his victims’ family members, some of whom reportedly witnessed his death.
Posted in
Economy
County judge approves election to decide whether SpaceX launch site will become a city
If a majority of the roughly 500 residents living around the South Texas site vote yes in May, Starbase will be the state’s newest city.
Posted in
Politics
Texas’ social media law takes another hit with temporary blocks on three more provisions
The new injunction prohibits advertising and age verification restrictions in the SCOPE Act, which aims to make social media safer for teenagers.
Posted in
Immigration
Border Patrol chief calls report that agents will board buses to check students’ citizenship “absurd”
The chief’s comments came after Alice ISD sent a letter to parents Wednesday warning students may be detained and possibly deported if they can’t prove they’re in the country legally. The letter was later removed from the district’s website.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas executes man convicted of killing Arlington pastor in 2011
Steven Lawayne Nelson maintained that he unknowingly participated in the violent church robbery but didn’t harm anyone. His execution was the state’s first for 2025.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas legislators seek more protections for death penalty defendants in wake of Trump executive order
Trump’s new directive that aims to increase death sentences clashes with some Texas lawmakers’ efforts to add guardrails to capital punishment.