Second arrest in 2024 shooting death of Jacksonville teen raises questions about case timeline
Second suspect booked nearly two years after fatal Valentine’s Day shooting
A second arrest has been made in the February 14, 2024 shooting death of 17-year-old Jayden Polk, a Cherokee County teenager from Jacksonville, Texas. Jail records show 20-year-old Randarriuz Dewberry, also of Jacksonville, was booked Tuesday into the Cherokee County Jail with bonds totaling $1.085 million.
Dewberry faces two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, along with charges of evading arrest and failure to identify. Authorities have not publicly detailed how those charges connect to Polk’s death or whether additional charges are anticipated.
Traffic stop led to arrest; investigators have not described Dewberry’s alleged role
Dewberry was taken into custody following a traffic stop conducted by Texas troopers on Farm-to-Market Road 346 near Bullard. The arrest comes after an investigation that has remained active since the 2024 shooting, which occurred on Valentine’s Day.
Investigators have not provided an account of what prompted troopers to stop the vehicle, what evidence was recovered, or what investigative steps led to Dewberry being identified as a suspect nearly two years after the killing. Officials have also not said whether Polk and Dewberry knew one another or whether Dewberry is alleged to have been present at the scene.
Case details: two men linked to argument; one teen killed and another man injured
Deputies responding to the February 14, 2024 call found Polk suffering from severe gunshot wounds. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators later determined that a 20-year-old man, identified as Isiah Mallord of Jacksonville, was also injured in the incident. Mallord was taken to a hospital by private vehicle and then transported by medical helicopter to a Tyler hospital in critical condition.
Authorities have said an argument occurred before the shooting and that both men were involved in that dispute. The circumstances of the argument, the location where it unfolded, and the sequence of events leading to the gunfire have not been publicly laid out in detail.
First arrest and current status of charges
Dewberry is the second person arrested in the case. Public information available at this stage does not clarify what charges, if any, are pending against others or whether investigators believe additional suspects were involved.
Date of fatal shooting: February 14, 2024
Victim: Jayden Polk, 17
Second arrest: Randarriuz Dewberry, 20, booked Tuesday in Cherokee County
Charges listed at booking: two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; evading arrest; failure to identify
Key unanswered questions remain, including how investigators allege Dewberry is connected to the shooting and whether further arrests or upgraded charges will follow.
The case remains under investigation, and court records and future filings are expected to provide a clearer account of the alleged roles, evidence, and legal strategy as proceedings move forward.