Texas justice 2026: The high-profile trials to track this year
As Texas enters 2026, the state’s legal docket is dominated by high-profile trials ranging from the Uvalde school shooting response to a viral "wedding of the century" assault. These cases have captured national attention due to their tragic nature, celebrity involvement or viral social media origins.
Here are the top crime cases to watch in Texas in 2026.
Uvalde accountability: The trial of Adrian Gonzales
Scheduled trial date: Jan. 5, 2026
Nearly four years after the tragedy at Robb Elementary School, legal accountability for the law enforcement response begins in a Corpus Christi courtroom. Adrian Gonzales, a former Uvalde CISD police officer, faces 29 felony counts of abandoning or endangering a child.
The trial was moved from Uvalde to ensure an impartial jury. Prosecutors allege Gonzales failed to follow active shooter protocols despite being one of the first on the scene. Meanwhile, former Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pete Arredondo also remains under indictment; Arredondo recently filed a motion to declare his indictment invalid, and his trial is expected to be a major fixture of the 2026 legal calendar.
New Uvalde records: District leaders didn’t reach out to some surviving teachers, knew about broken locks
The records also shed light on previous concerns about shooters’ classroom behavior. The release follows a yearslong lawsuit from news agencies.
The "Wedding of the Century" assault: Jacob LaGrone
Scheduled trial date: Jan. 8, 2026
Jacob LaGrone, whose lavish $59 million Paris wedding went viral on TikTok, faces a much grimmer reality in Tarrant County. LaGrone is charged with three counts of aggravated assault against a public servant after allegedly firing a weapon at Westworth Village police officers in 2023.
If convicted, LaGrone faces up to life in prison. He previously rejected a 25-year plea deal, setting the stage for a high-interest January trial that contrasts sharply with his viral social media persona.
Dallas rap feud: Yella Beezy murder-for-hire trial
Scheduled trial date: Feb. 2, 2026
Dallas rapper Markies Conway, better known as Yella Beezy, is set to stand trial for capital murder. Authorities allege Conway orchestrated a "hit" on fellow rapper Mo3 (Melvin Noble), who was killed in an ambush-style shooting on I-35 in 2020.
Prosecutors claim Conway paid Kewon White to carry out the murder. A pre-trial hearing is set for Jan. 9, with the jury trial officially beginning in early February.
Yella Beezy case: Judge denies motion to allow rapper to attend child's football game
Rapper Yella Beezy, whose real name is Markies Conway, was released from jail on bond late last month after his bond was reduced from $2 million to $750,000.
The Savanah Soto & Matthew Guerra murder: Christopher Preciado
Scheduled trial date: Feb. 2, 2026
In San Antonio, Christopher Preciado faces capital murder charges for the 2023 shooting deaths of pregnant 18-year-old Savanah Soto and her boyfriend, Matthew Guerra. The case gained national attention when the couple vanished just days before Soto was scheduled to be induced. Preciado’s father and mother also face charges for allegedly helping hide the bodies.
The Suzanne Simpson murder: Brad Simpson
Scheduled trial date: Feb. 13, 2026
One of the most-searched cases in Texas involves the disappearance of Suzanne Simpson, a luxury real estate agent who vanished in October 2024. Her husband, Brad Simpson, is charged with her murder despite her remains not being found. The case has generated intense interest following surveillance footage allegedly showing Simpson with bulky materials shortly after her disappearance.
The death of Athena Strand: Tanner Horner
Scheduled trial date: April 7, 2026
The capital murder case against former FedEx driver Tanner Horner is one of the most emotionally charged trials in North Texas history. Horner is accused of the 2022 kidnapping and murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand.
A judge recently denied a defense motion to delay the trial, and prosecutors have confirmed they will seek the death penalty. The trial is expected to be a major focal point for national media throughout the spring.
Athena Strand Murder: Judge denies defense motion to delay trial
A judge has denied a request to delay the trial of a former FedEx driver who is accused of kidnapping and killing a 7-year-old girl in Wise County.
Frisco track-meet stabbing: Karmelo Anthony
Scheduled trial date: June 1, 2026
In Collin County, Karmelo Anthony faces a murder trial for the stabbing death of high school track star Austin Metcalf. While Anthony’s defense team plans to argue self-defense, the case remains under a strict gag order due to the intense publicity surrounding the tragedy.
Judge issues gag order for Frisco track meet stabbing case
A Collin County judge has issued a gag order in the trial over a deadly stabbing at a Frisco track meet. Here's what that means.
Other notable 2026 cases
- Takeoff murder case: Patrick Xavier Clark, accused of killing Migos rapper Takeoff, has a pre-trial conference on Jan. 8, 2026, with a trial likely in mid-2026.
- Jocelyn Nungaray case: Franklin Pena and Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel have non-trial settings on Jan. 13 and Jan. 21, 2026, for the high-profile death of the 12-year-old Houston girl.
- Jonathan Joss murder: A trial is expected in early 2026 for Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, accused of killing the King of the Hill voice actor in San Antonio.
Jonathan Joss shooting: Co-stars remember 'King of the Hill', 'Parks and Rec' actor
Chris Pratt, Mike Judge and others react to the news of Jonathan Joss' passing after the actor was shot and killed in San Antonio this week.
- West Texas immigration "limbo": In Ward County, the case against Adan Yanez Porras remains in question as prosecutors struggle to proceed after the victim was deported to Mexico. Yanez Porras was indicted in September for assaulting Manuel Chairez-Montes, fracturing the left side of his face. But before the District Attorney could take the case to trial, Chairez-Montes, who was undocumented, was deported.
- Aldine Westfield deputy shooting: Joshua Stewart is scheduled for a jury trial on Jan. 9, 2026, for the murder of Deputy Almendarez.
- Missouri City officer arrest: Robin Williams is set for a jury trial on Jan. 20, 2026.
The Source: Information in this article is from court documents and previous FOX Local coverage.