The Death of Livye Luis: Party, Murder, and the Man on the Run

Around 5 a.m. on October 31, 2020 Libby Lewis She was found unresponsive in her car on the side of the road in Hemphill, Texas. her ex-boyfriend, Matthew EdgarHe said he had no memory of what happened to Lewis or how he ended up in the fetal position in the back of her car.

Investigators are trying to figure out what happened to Livye. retrace her steps From the night before.

2:30 AM | The party turned sour

About two hours before Lewis was found in her car, she had attended a friend’s pre-Halloween party. Her ex-boyfriend Edgar and his ex-wife Montana Bockel were also there. Lewis broke up with Edgar a few weeks ago, and according to party host Bobby Ozanne, Lewis and Vokel were enjoying a night out, ignoring Edgar.

By 2:30 a.m., most of the people except Lewis and Vokel had already left the group. According to Bockel’s first interview with investigators, Edgar suddenly returned to Ozan’s house and overheard that Lewis was going to spend the night with Ozan.

This made Edgar so furious that he began attacking Bockel, feeling she could stop Lewis. He was also kicking Bockel’s car.

Ozan tried to restrain Edgar, giving Bockel and Lewis a chance to escape. Bockel headed to Edgar’s grandparents’ home in search of refuge, but it is unclear where Lewis headed.

After entering Edgar’s grandparents’ home, Bockel began texting Edgar. That text will become key evidence in the case.

3:34 AM | Livye is “dead”

Edgar is angry because Bockel said he knew about Lewis and Ozan. Bockel and Lewis had a friendly relationship.

At 3:34 a.m., Bockel texted Edgar asking where Lewis was. He answered, “He died.”

3:30am – 5:00am | crime scene

Text messages show Edgar was at the scene around 3:30 a.m. A pickup truck belonging to Edgar’s cousin was parked behind Lewis’ car.

“I think she pulled over to talk to him, and I’ll tell you why,” Sabine County sheriff’s investigator JP MacDonough told “48 Hours.” She just sat there with her legs crossed. Well, that indicates she wasn’t afraid. It wasn’t fight or flight that had her ready to jump out of the car. She actually felt somewhat comfortable with who she was talking to.”

5:15 AM | A passerby called 911

A 911 call came in around 5:15 a.m. The caller saw the car on the side of the road and stopped to help. She found the scene horrifying. Lewis had no pulse. She died from a gunshot wound to the neck.

Around 6am | evidence at the scene

When first responders arrived, they found Edgar on the ground. Investigators processed the scene while Edgar was taken to the hospital. They found the rifle in the nearby grass and linked it to bullet fragments later found inside Lewis’ car.

7:39 AM | mom looking for answers

Around 7:30 a.m., Darci Bass arrived on the scene looking for her daughter, Livye Lewis. Bass got a call from a friend saying something had happened to Lewis.

The officer’s interaction with Bass at the scene was captured on bodycam footage. She asked at least 23 times where Lewis was, but authorities seemed reluctant to tell her. Finally, when Lewis said she was sitting in the car, Bass fell to the ground and realized her daughter was dead.

7:28 AM | Hospital Interview with Matthew Edgar

As the field investigation continues,. MacDonough met Edgar at the hospital. He captured the entire encounter on bodycam.

A bloodied Edgar claimed he had no recollection of how he ended up lying on the side of the road. Edgar admits he drank an entire bottle of whiskey the night before and the last thing he remembers is falling asleep on the front porch and waking up in an ambulance.

MacDonough informed Edgar that Lewis had been found dead in his car. Edgar appeared to be crying, but MacDonough didn’t buy his story. MacDonough arrested Matthew Edgar for the murder of Livye Lewis while he was still in his hospital bed.

Around 8:15 AM | DNA evidence

While at the hospital, MacDonough collected Edgar’s clothing as evidence. DNA testing showed that a drop of Lewis’ blood on Edgar’s pants later became key evidence for the prosecution.

But Edgar’s lawyer, Rob Hughes, argued it was unknown how long the blood had been there.

January 4, 2022: Matthew Edgar’s trial begins.

Matthew Edgar was released on bail. On January 4, 2022, Edgar went to trial, but only faced the jury for two days.

On the third day of testimony, Edgar did not appear at the murder trial. His mother, Cindy Hogan, informed Hughes that her son could not be found.

Authorities said Edgar likely let the battery in his ankle monitor die and escaped on foot. The trial continued without him and he was found guilty.

2022 | Where is Matthew Edgar?

While Edgar was on the run, Bass posted a wanted poster to find her daughter’s killer.

“Those days – they were terrible. I was scared. And I thought he would just go away, but no one was watching, so I had to make wanted posters and hand them out at flea markets and small events around town and hang them up in stores. “There’s a window where people tell me to put it down.” Bass told “48 Hours.”

December 29, 2022 | Matthew Edgar arrested

Nearly a year later, U.S. Marshals along with the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Parks and Wildlife officers found and arrested Edgar. It turned out that the house he was found in was just a few meters away from his grandparents’ house. Investigators later determined the house belonged to a family friend. Edgar’s mother, Cindy Hogan, was also found in the home when Edgar was arrested.

January 3, 2023 | Matthew Edgar has officially been sentenced.

On January 3, 2023, Edgar was officially sentenced to 99 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years for the murder of Livye Lewis.