Jeremy Wayne Gladden, 41, of Zavalla, has been returned to Angelina County and is in custody at the Angelina County Jail after being charged with the murder of Lawrence Jason Wise, 55. Wise was found dead in a shed near Zavalla on January 23, 2024, following a welfare check request.
Gladden was arrested on January 26, 2024, in Clarksville, Arkansas, after Johnson County deputies located Wise’s stolen vehicle. Gladden was captured following a foot chase and has been held in Arkansas since, fighting extradition.
A Governor’s Warrant resulted in Gladden's return to Texas, where he faces murder charges filed by sheriff’s deputies. An indictment was issued by an Angelina County Grand Jury on May 17, 2024. Gladden will make his first court appearance in Angelina County District Court on Monday.
The investigation began after Wise's body was discovered in a state of decomposition, leading authorities to Arkansas where Gladden was located.
