Man found dead near local homeless ministry identified

Police are investigating after a man was found dead early Thursday in an alley between 1st Street and 3rd Street near Temple’s Feed My Sheep homeless ministry.

Authorities identified the man as Joseph Smith, 50.

Officers responded at around 7:20 a.m. after receiving an anonymous call about the body.

Smith was pronounced dead just before 7:55 a.m.

An autopsy was ordered.

Police did not immediately say how Smith, who was evidently homeless, died.

No arrests have been made, police said.

Jimm Chappel, who said he knew Smith, said the victim was generous.

"He was just like my big brother. We look out for each other, and what I mean by that, If he had it, I had it. If I had it, he had it. And like I said, he might have been homeless, but he'd give you the shirt off his back if you asked him," he said.

The discovery comes a week to the day after another incident near the homeless center.

Randle Jackson III, 39, of Temple, surrendered following an hours-long standoff that started at around 9 a.m. on Sept. 21 after police received a report of an armed man at the homeless ministry that led to a chase, an exchange of gunfire in which a church school teacher was injured and lockdowns at the nearby school and two daycares.

Jackson was charged with three counts of aggravated assault against a public servant and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

His bonds total $1.15 million.