The Death of Livye Lewis: A Party, a Murder, and a Man on the Run

On October 31, 2020, Livye Lewis, a 19-year-old recent high school graduate with aspirations of becoming a physician’s assistant, was found unresponsive in her car on the side of a road in Hemphill, Texas. Her ex-boyfriend, Matthew Edgar, who was discovered in a fetal position behind her vehicle, claimed to remember nothing about the events of that night.

The Events Leading Up to the Tragedy

A Party Turned Sour

Earlier that night, around 2:30 a.m., Lewis attended a friend’s pre-Halloween party. Present at the gathering were Edgar, his ex-wife Montana Bockel, and a host of other friends. Lewis, who had recently ended her relationship with Edgar, was seen enjoying the evening while seemingly ignoring him. Tensions escalated when Edgar returned to the party, angry upon learning that Lewis intended to stay overnight at the host’s house, Bobby Ozan.

Witnesses reported that Edgar grew furious, attacking Bockel and damaging her car. In a bid to escape, Bockel sought refuge at Edgar’s grandparents’ home, while Lewis’s whereabouts during this turmoil remain unclear.

Tensions Escalate

At approximately 3:34 a.m., Bockel texted Edgar asking about Lewis’s location. Edgar’s chilling response was simply: “Dead.” At around the same time, text messages suggest that Edgar was at the scene where Lewis was eventually found dead. A pickup truck belonging to Edgar’s cousin was parked behind Lewis’s vehicle. Investigator J.P. MacDonough suggested that Lewis may have been comfortable enough to pull over and talk to Edgar, noting her relaxed posture at the time.

The Discovery of the Crime Scene

A Grizzly Scene

A passerby called 911 around 5:15 a.m. after discovering a vehicle on the roadside. Upon arrival, responders found Lewis deceased from a gunshot wound to the neck. The investigation quickly revealed disturbing evidence, including Edgar’s rifle, identified as the murder weapon, near the scene along with a bullet fragment later tied to the incident.

Emotional Turmoil

At approximately 7:30 a.m., Darci Bass, Lewis’s mother, arrived at the scene searching for her daughter after receiving alarming news from a friend. Unaware of Lewis’s death, she repeatedly asked polstart for information. Captured on bodycam footage, Bass’s desperate pleas revealed the anguish of a mother losing her child too soon.

A Series of Confessions and Arrests

Hospital Interrogation

As investigators continued to gather evidence, MacDonough interviewed Edgar at the hospital after he was transported there. Edgar’s claims of memory loss about the events, alongside a confession of drinking excessively that night, raised eyebrows. When informed of Lewis’s death, he appeared distraught but was arrested shortly thereafter.

The Trial of Matthew Edgar

Beginning of the Proceedings

The trial commenced on January 4, 2022. Initially out on bail, Edgar attended only two days of proceedings before he disappeared, reportedly having allowed the battery on his ankle monitor to die. His absence did not stop the trial, which continued without him, resulting in a guilty verdict.

Edgar on the Run

During Edgar’s time on the run, Darci Bass made desperate efforts to locate her daughter’s killer, distributing homemade wanted posters around town.

Capture and Sentencing

After nearly a year evading authorities, Edgar was captured on December 29, 2022, by U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement. On January 3, 2023, he was formally sentenced to 99 years in prison for Lewis’s murder, with the possibility of parole after 30 years.

This tragic case serves as a somber reminder of the consequences of domestic violence and the impact of unresolved relationships, forever altering the lives of those involved.