Waco Man Indicted in February Randy Carpenter Murder

Howard Lewis McCreary III has been indicted for the February 2025 murder of Randy Carpenter in Waco, Texas. The incident stemmed from a dispute over a cell phone found by McCreary at a gas station, which escalated to a shooting on Grim Avenue, resulting in Carpenter's death after six days in the hospital. McCreary was already in custody on unrelated charges when charged with the murder and faces additional charges including aggravated robbery and firearms offenses. In a separate case, the Waco Police Department announced that a shooting in April 2025, resulting in the death of Christian Hicks, was ruled as self-defense by a grand jury, and the shooter was no billed. The department confirmed there was no public danger in the April incident, and no arrests were made. These investigations highlight ongoing law enforcement efforts to address violent crimes in Waco during 2025.