Roger Franklin Cowley, a 63-year-old man from Texarkana, Texas, was fatally shot on October 24, 2021, in a wooded area behind a residence on Horseshoe Loop Road in Bowie County. The shooting occurred around 5 p.m. and another person was found with serious, life-threatening injuries at the scene.

Thomas Wayne Lawson Sr., 51, of Atlanta, Texas, was arrested at the scene reportedly still armed with a rifle and reportedly confessed to deputies that he shot both Cowley and the other victim. Lawson was charged with murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a controlled substance under one gram. Bond was set at $1,000,000 for the murder charge, $300,000 for aggravated assault, and $5,000 for the possession count.

Cowley is survived by his mother, Loveta Crawford Cowley, his son Ashley Hazelwood, and other relatives; a graveside service was held October 31, 2021, at Center Ridge Cemetery in Maud, Texas. The motive has not been established and investigators are still looking into Lawson’s connection to the victims.

If anyone has information about Cowley, the events on Horseshoe Loop Road, or the relationship between the parties involved, please share what you know.