Caran Coward

Caran Renee Coward was a woman known for her compassion, dedication, and a deep-seated desire to help others, a path that led her to a career in law enforcement. A 39-year-old White/Caucasian mother of three, she was a native of Lumberton, Texas, where she grew up, graduating from Lumberton High School in 1987 as a band member and twirler. She continued as a twirler at Lamar University before deciding to serve the public. In 2004, she graduated from the Angelina Police Academy with top honors as valedictorian and top marksman. Her career included positions with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Coldspring Independent School District Police before she joined the Livingston Police Department in February 2005, becoming the department's only female officer. Her father remembered her as a warm, compassionate woman who would go out of her way to help anyone, once famously calming a distressed young man and convincing him to accept medical help, an act for which his mother credited Caran with saving her son's life.

On the evening of Saturday, April 26, 2008, Officer Coward was on duty for the Livingston Police Department. At some point during her shift, she went to her home in the 300 block of Knob Hill, about 75 miles north of downtown Houston. Authorities believe she had received a call from her husband, Randy Phillip Coward, 43. The couple had been experiencing marital problems and were reportedly going through a divorce. The precise circumstances that led her home that night remain unclear, but the visit ended in tragedy.

Around 8 p.m., a 911 call was placed by one of the couple’s three children, who was inside the house and had discovered their father in a pool of blood. When law enforcement arrived, they found both Caran and Randy Coward deceased in a travel trailer outside the main residence. Investigators with the Polk County Sheriff's Office determined that Randy had shot and killed Caran with a shotgun before turning the weapon on himself in a murder-suicide. Caran was still in her uniform when she was killed.

The investigation was handled by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, as the incident occurred just outside Livingston city limits. Sheriff Kenneth Hammack acknowledged that while there had been known marital issues, no one had expected such a violent outcome. The deaths sent a shockwave through the local law enforcement community, serving as a grim reminder of the realities of domestic violence. "It brings us back to reality," Sheriff Hammack stated, "to show that police are just other citizens within the county and the city, that we're not immune to domestic violence." The case was closed with the determination of a murder-suicide, as the primary suspect was deceased.

Caran’s death was a profound loss for her family, friends, and colleagues. She was remembered as a dedicated officer who was good with the public and always eager to learn. A recently retired Livingston officer, Mike deVilleneuve, recalled her as "real caring." A friend, Valerie Reddell, described her as courteous and kind to everyone, calling her "a shining example of everything a woman officer brings to law enforcement." Just a month before her death, she had been promoted to the role of Field Training Officer. Her husband, Randy, was a musician and a Christian Country Music Association award winner who also did construction work. A recent injury had reportedly impacted his ability to work, prompting Caran to take on extra police assignments to support their family.

In the days following the tragedy, flags across Livingston were flown at half-staff in her honor. The community mourned the loss of a respected officer and mother. Caran left behind her daughter, Megan Elizabeth Corley, and two sons, Randy Phillip Coward, Jr., and Nathaniel Jacob Coward. The children were placed in the care of their grandmother. Funeral services were held at Wesley United Methodist Church in Beaumont, with burial at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. To support her children, a fund was established in her memory at the First National Bank in Livingston.