She Was Shot In Her Car, And Her Ex-Boyfriend Was Found Lying On The Ground Behind Her, Claiming He Didn’t Recall What Happened
In 2020, Livye Lewis, a 19-year-old from Texas, had her entire life ahead of her. She planned to become a physician’s assistant in order to help those who couldn’t help themselves.
Yet, following a Halloween celebration, she was found dead in her car in Hemphill, Texas, at about 5:00 a.m. on October 31, 2020. Her ex-boyfriend, Matthew Edgar, had murdered her.
Hours earlier, Livye had been attending a pre-Halloween party at her friend Bobby Ozan’s house. She’d only broken up with Matthew a few weeks prior, and he was also in attendance, along with his ex-wife, Montana Bockel.
Bobby later claimed that, throughout the party, Matthew and Montana had been enjoying their night and supposedly ignoring Livye.
However, as the clock struck 2:30 a.m., most of the party’s attendees had already left, aside from Livye and Montana.
Montana later told investigators that Matthew had shown back up at the party and learned that Livye was planning to spend the evening with the host, Bobby.
He became enraged at Montana and believed she could’ve stopped Livye, so he started to attack Montana and kick her car.
As Bobby restrained Matthew, both Livye and Montana were given a window to leave. Montana went to the home of Matthew’s grandparents, but it’s unknown where Livye went. Then, a text at 3:34 a.m. from Matthew to Montana would later become key evidence in Livye’s murder case.
The ex-spouses had maintained a friendly relationship following their split, but in the wake of the Halloween party, Matthew was furious at Montana, saying she’d known about Livye and Bobby.
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Montana wound up texting Matthew about Livye at 3:34 a.m., asking where she was. All Matthew responded was, “Dead.”
Livye was later discovered unresponsive and “draped over the steering wheel” in her car, which was parked on the side of FM 80, about two and a half miles east of Hemphill.
Behind her vehicle was a parked pickup truck owned by Matthew’s cousin. Investigator J.P. MacDonough with the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office believes that Livye had pulled over to speak with Matthew before he killed her.
“She was just sitting there with her legs crossed. Well, it indicates to me she was not afraid,” MacDonough explained.
“It was not a fight-or-flight thing where she was prepared to just bolt out of the car. She was actually, to some degree, comfortable with who she was speaking with.”
The police were contacted at 5:15 a.m. when a passerby spotted Livye’s car and stopped to help. That’s when Livye was found dead, with a gunshot wound to her neck.
Once authorities arrived on the scene, they also discovered Matthew behind Livye’s vehicle. He was reportedly on the ground in the fetal position and claimed to have no recollection of what had happened to Livye.
Matthew was taken to the hospital; meanwhile, the police stayed at the scene to process evidence. They ultimately came upon a rifle lying in the grass nearby, and the firearm was linked to a bullet fragment discovered in Livye’s car.
Livye’s mother, Darci Bass, had received a phone call from a friend who said something had happened to her daughter. Darci got to the scene at about 7:30 a.m. and asked investigators where Livye was over 20 times.
Her conversation with the officers, who were hesitant to tell her about Livye’s murder, was caught on bodycam footage. The police eventually told Darci that her daughter was in her car, and Darci realized Livye had been murdered.
Matthew, who’d been in a bloodied state, spoke to the police while at the hospital. He confessed to drinking a whole bottle of whiskey that evening and stated he didn’t know how he wound up on the ground behind Livye’s car. Instead, Matthew claimed the last thing he remembered was falling asleep on his own porch.
“You don’t know how you ended up on the ground behind the car… with the dead girl in it?” MacDonough asked.
Matthew responded, “No, sir. I have no clue,” but MacDonough did not believe him. While still in his hospital bed, Matthew was arrested on the spot for the murder of Livye.
DNA testing of his clothing from that evening revealed a small drop of Livye’s blood on his pants, and Matthew went free on bail until his trial began on January 4, 2022. But his attendance at the court proceedings was short-lived.
Matthew stood before the jury for two days before he abandoned his own murder trial. He’d been wearing an ankle monitor and, according to the police, had let the battery die. Then, Matthew likely fled on foot.
Even with his absence, the murder trial continued, and he was found guilty of Livye’s murder. Still, with Matthew nowhere to be found, he couldn’t be sentenced. Darci began posting wanted fliers, and a Facebook page entitled “Justice for Livye Lewis” was created.
“That time was horrible. It was scary. And I thought that he was going to just get away, and nobody was looking,” Darci recalled.
“I was having to make wanted posters and go hand [them] out at the flea markets or [the] little events that they had around town; put [them] up in the store windows with people telling me to take it down.”
Matthew was finally captured on December 29, 2022, by U.S. Marshalls, Sabine County Sheriff’s Office, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens. He’d been at a family friend’s home close to his grandparents’ residence.
Then, on January 3, 2023, he was sentenced to 99 years behind bars. After 30 years, he will have the possibility of parole.
In the wake of Matthew’s conviction, Livye’s mother has organized a GoFundMe campaign to pay for a “proper” headstone. Any remaining funds will be donated to the Livye Lewis Memorial Scholarship fund, which awards qualifying seniors scholarships on an annual basis to help them pursue their academic aspirations.
“Livye Lewis was a beloved daughter, gracious sister, and a loyal friend. Her vibrant spirit was undeniable. She was the kind of person you couldn’t help but love,” the fundraiser reads.
“On October 31, 2020, her abundant lift was tragically ended by her ex-boyfriend, Matthew Edgar. Her story has caught the attention of many, and we hope it can help bring awareness to putting a stop to domestic violence.”
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