OFFICIALS: Smith County business owner arrested for murder after fatally shooting teen in the back of the head

SMITH COUNTY, Texas – One person is arrested and another is dead after a July 4 shooting in Smith County.

According to the Smith County Sheriff’s OfficeOn Thursday around 10:45 p.m., officers responded to a shooting in the 3700 block of Highway 271 N. near Tyler after dispatch initially received information that a gunshot victim was at a Tyler hospital.

Smith County investigators went to both the hospital and the crime scene and learned that three friends were driving a truck down Old Gladewater Highway and came to a dead end. After turning around to head back to Highway 271, they drove behind Bautista Auto Sales. As they drove past, officials said, several gunshots were heard and a backseat passenger, identified as Rawly Sanchez, 19, was shot in the back of the head.

The other two occupants of the truck took Sanchez to the hospital, where he died.

Investigators identified the suspect as Seferino Bautista-Renteria, 35, owner of Bautista Auto Sales. He was detained at his residence while officers executed search warrants on his home and business.

Bautista-Renteria was subsequently arrested for murder and taken to the Smith County Jail on $1 million bail.

Sanchez’s body was sent to Dallas for an autopsy.

The investigation is ongoing.