No arrest made in Italy shooting death

ITALY – Residents said they heard shots ring out in Italy, Texas Sunday night.

A small, sleepy town – the last murder that took place in Italy was in 2018 according to Italy Police Chief Greg Scott McAuley.

On Sunday, Feb. 5 that changed.

Shots rang out at approximately 7:25 p.m. from the 200 block of Rosemond Lane.

Both the Italy Police Department and Ellis County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the call responding to the shots fired.

One person said they heard a number of shots, but Ellis County Sheriff Brad Norman said he could not comment on the number of shots fired, adding the report is not back from the Medical Examiner’s office.

Rosemond Lane is located in the city of Italy, but McAuley said the Sheriff’s Department were called to the scene too because of the small size of the city’s Police Department.

The 911 caller who made the call regarding the shots identified an adult male, Jackie Wayne Shelby, 54 of Italy, had been found unresponsive and shot multiple times.

Norman confirmed the Rosemond address was Shelby’s residence where he lived with his mother.

Shelby was taken by American Medical Response to Baylor Scott and White Hospital in Waxahachie, where he was pronounced dead due to his injuries.

The Sheriff’s Department did not comment on a possible motive for the shooting.

Justice of Peace Judge Dan Cox, pct. 3, also ordered an inquest, and the victim’s body was taken to the Dallas Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.

Ellis County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division is conducting an investigation into the cause of Shelby’s death.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Case Agent Phillip Pearson at (972) 825-4956 or call in an anonymous tip at (972) 937-7297.