Dabrett Black's neighbors in Lindale know all about his history with law enforcement, but none of them thought he would end up charged with murder.
"He's done stuff like this before but we never thought he would take it this far." Dahlon Demark said.
They described the man who lived in the neighborhood as laid back, but then they heard what happened.
Sitting around a bonfire, Demark said his Uncle came out of the house to tell them what happened. They were shocked.
The Department of Public Safety says Black shot and killed Trooper Damon Allen during a traffic stop on Thanksgiving Day.
Demark says he believes Black was heading to see his kids one last time before he was caught, north of Houston.
For Black's estranged wife, what happened was not a surprise.
"I've been saying for years that he's going to end up killing himself or somebody else." she said.
It's been over three years since the two separated, she says Black is not the man she married.
Black was a Motor Transport Operator in the U.S. Army. His wife met him after his first tour in Iraq.
She says he served multiple tours overseas but during one of them, he was injured.
"He was in a truck when the convoy got blown up. His best friend lost his leg, almost died, and he's got a traumatic brain injury, PTSD... he's not been right ever since." she said.
Right now, she's just confused.
After Black's most recent run-in with Smith County Deputies, and a history of criminal problems, she wants to know why he was able to hurt again.
She never expected Black to be released after this most recent incident, but he was.