Oct 27, 2021 Groveton, Trinity County, Texas. S E Tullos ll A/K/A Sammy Tullos was found guilty of the felony offense of Murder by a Trinity County Jury. The same jury sentenced S E Tullos to Life in TDCJ-ID. Tullos was charged with the murder of Amber Pillows in June 2020 and was tried and sentenced by a Trinity County Jury.
S E Tullos also pled Guilty to Aggravated Robbery and was sentenced to 75 years in TDCJ-ID by the same Trinity County Jury.
This case was prosecuted by 258th DIstrict Attorney Bennie Schiro’s Office.
Presiding 411th District Judge John E. Wells lll
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Related article
Apple Springs man charged with murder in connection with woman’s shooting death
An Apple Springs man has now been charged with murder in connection with the June 7 shooting death of a Groveton woman, according to Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace.
TCSO deputies served a first-degree murder warrant on SE Tullos II, 35, at the Trinity County Jail. He had already been arrested on aggravated robbery and kidnapping charges.
The shooting incident occurred on June 7, 2020 Tullos murder charge stems from the shooting death of Amber Pillows.
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ARREST AFFIDAVIT-
An Apple Springs man shot woman, stole 2 vehicles in an attempt to flee. According to an arrest affidavit, on Sunday, June 7, at approximately 5:11 p.m., Texas Rangers were contacted by the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office requesting assistance in a shooting investigation which occurred at 750 Holcombe Rd. in Groveton. A woman, identified as Amber Pillows, had been shot and was transported to CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial Hospital in Lufkin where she later died.
The affidavit said Pillows’ boyfriend, identified as S..E. Tullos II, had fled Pillows’ home in a stolen vehicle and was involved in an one-vehicle crash a short distance away. The affidavit said Tullos then stole another vehicle from an elderly female before crashing it and being taken into custody by Trinity County deputies, a witness at the scene described the events he witnessed prior to and after the shooting. The affidavit said the witness had been requested by Pillows to come over to the home to help change a flat tire on a vehicle. The witness said shortly after his arrival, an individual known to him as “Sammy” came outside the home and yelled at Pillows to come inside. The witness said Sammy went inside the home and continued yelling. When Pillows went inside, the witness heard a what he believed to be a gunshot. The witness ran inside the home and found Pillows laying on the ground and Sammy beating on his head. The witness said to Sammy, “You ******* shot her to which Sammy replied, Yes The witness said Sammy told him to grab Pillows’ arms as he reached for the back door. The witness said he told Sammy not to move Pillows and he began attempting CPR on her. He said he also attempted to call 911 but his phone was not working. The witness ran out of the house and two people were leaving in a blue hatchback vehicle. He then ran next door and told someone to call 911 before returning to the home and continuing chest compressions on Pillows. The witness said Sammy ran out of the house and stole his vehicle, a white Lincoln Town car. The witness said he then picked up a phone lying next to Pillows and called 911 and then stayed there until Trinity County Deputies arrived.
A search warrant for the home was signed and law enforcement entered to investigate. The affidavit said an accumulation of blood was observed on the floor of the rear hallway near the backdoor and the washer and dryer unit. A silver 38 Special revolver with apparent bloodstains on it was also observed. The revolver was loaded with six rounds, one of which had been fired. A fired projectile was later recovered from a plastic bin above the washer and dryer unit in the rear hallway.
The affidavit said on June 8, Tullos was interviewed at the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office, Tullos said he had been at Pillows home for several days after being picked up in Lufkin. Tullos said Pillows had given him some unknown pills earlier in the day because he had been freaking out. Tullos said two people had also come by the residence in the evening to provide transportation for him to Riverside, TX. Tullos said when they arrived, they all smoked Methamphetamine together. Tullos said another person had arrived at the home for what he believed to be a drug deal. Tullos said the man remained outside and began working on changing a flat tire. The two people who had come by to provide transportation for Tullos also were outside. Tullos said Pillows was inside the home getting ready. At one point, Tullos went outside and said there was a discussion going on about the man changing the tire and his relationship with Pillows. Tullos characterized the conversation as a joke and said he laughed and pointed at the man before walking back into the home. Tullos said Pillows came back into the home and sat with him in the bedroom. He said Pillows gave him an unknown pill which he ate. Tullos said he then made a comment about a gun which was lying on the dryer which he described as being silver in color. Tullos said he was unable to remember the events prior to the gunshot and just remembered hearing a bang and seeing Pillows on the floor bleeding. Tullos said he thought Pillows had been shot in the throat and said he grabbed a shirt and tried to wrap it around her neck. Tullos said the man who had been outside changing the tire came into the home he was on the phone trying to reach 911. He told Tullos to apply pressure to the wound. Tullos said he told the man to call a Trinity County Constable. He then said he left in a white car parked at the home.
Tullos said he later slid off the road into a ditch and got out of his vehicle and asked an old lady in a red car for help getting to a Trinity County Constable. Tullos said she got out of the car and he left for the office of the Constable. Law enforcement received a recorded statement from the woman in the vehicle about the incident. She said a man with no shirt appeared at her residence while she was mowing the lawn and said he needed help because his girlfriend had been shot. The woman said she told the man the Constable lived just down the road and said the man told her to take him to the Constable. She then went inside to get the keys to her car. She said when she asked the man who shot the woman, he replied, I did. She said as she began to leave, the man put the car in park and told her to get out of the car and he said he would not hurt her if she minded him. She said she then got out of the car and called the Constable.
Another witness also made a recorded statement for law enforcement. This witness said he along with his wife and children had gone to Pillows home to get a tire. When they arrived, the witness said he went inside and there was a man identified as Sammy with him. He described Sammy as medium height, stocky, skinhead with tattoos. The witness said another man arrived at the home with a tire and he and the witness began working on changing the tire on a vehicle. The witness said Sammy then walked outside the home and popped off. The witness said he did not know exactly what Sammy said. The witness said Pillows than went inside the home and a gunshot was heard along with what sounded like someone falling to the floor. The witness said the person who brought the tire went inside the home as Sammy came out and stood in the doorway. The witness said the person came out saying, He got her. He got her, before running next door. The witness said Sammy went back inside the house. The witness said he got his wife and children and they left.
The Prosecutors- 258th District Attorney Bennie Schiro’s team, with County Attorney Colton Hay
411th District Judge John E Wells III, Presiding Judge
Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Richard Harrelson and Sheriff Woody A Wallace escorting S E Tullos II from court after being sentenced to Life In prison for the murder of Amber Pillows.
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