On the afternoon of September 1, 2025, 16-year-old Hailey Nicole Blake and her 49-year-old father, Shawn Glen Blake, were at Hugh Camp Memorial Park in Liberty City, Gregg County, when multiple 911 calls drew deputies and emergency crews to the scene. First responders performed lifesaving measures but both Hailey and her father were pronounced dead at the park. Authorities described the incident as a targeted attack rather than a random act of violence.

Investigators identified 18-year-old Christopher Wayne Hicks Jr. as the primary suspect within hours; officials said he was linked to Hailey through a dating relationship. The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office reported Hicks Jr. suffered what appeared to be self-inflicted, life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital. Two weeks after the shootings he was booked into the Gregg County Jail and charged with two counts of murder in connection with the Labor Day attack.

Memorials and funeral notices confirmed Hailey’s identity and services in Kilgore. Prosecutors and courts will handle the formal legal process; investigators asked anyone with information about tensions leading up to the confrontation to come forward. Did anyone in the Kilgore or Liberty City area know Hailey or have information about her relationship with the suspect?