Shivangi Sinha
In October 2020, Livye Lewis was discovered dead in her car in Hemphill, Texas, with a gunshot wound to the back of her head. Based on her position, investigators determined that the shooting was likely carried out by someone she knew. Nearby, the police found Matthew Edgar lying unharmed in a fetal position behind the car. When questioned, he claimed to have no memory of the events or how he ended up there. CBS’s episode of ’48 Hours,’ titled ‘The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis,’ delves into the case against Edgar and examines the reasons behind the lengthy process of bringing him to justice.
Matthew Edgar Was Seen Following Livye Lewis After a Fight
Matthew Edgar grew up in Hemphill, Texas, in a nurturing and secure environment provided by his parents, with his grandparents living close by. He had been in a relationship with Livye Lewis, a 19-year-old studying to become a Certified Nurse Aide at Houston Community College. However, by October 2020, their relationship had ended due to unresolved issues. On the night of October 31, 2020, Livye attended a Halloween party hosted by friends, where she and Edgar had a heated argument. Following the confrontation, Livye left the party.
Witnesses reported seeing Edgar follow Livye in a car after she left the party, but what happened afterward remained unclear. The following morning, one of the party attendees texted Edgar, asking about Livye’s whereabouts. He received a simple reply from his phone: a single word, “dead.” That same morning, police discovered Livye’s car parked along Farm to Market Road No. 83 in Sabine County, Texas. Inside, they found Livye slumped over the steering wheel, her legs crossed. She had suffered blunt force trauma to the head and had been fatally shot in the neck.
What made the scene even more shocking was that police found Edgar lying in a fetal position behind Livye’s car. Although covered in blood, he had no visible injuries. Nearby, a rifle was discovered. He was immediately transported to the hospital, where police questioned him. During the interview, he claimed to have no memory of the events, stating that the last thing he remembered was standing on someone’s porch. He said he had no recollection of how he ended up at the scene or what had happened to his ex-girlfriend.
Matthew Edgar Became a Fugitive in the Middle of His Trial
Based on the evidence at hand, Matthew Edgar was arrested while in the hospital and charged with murder. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, grand juries were not convening, and the law required that he be released on bail while awaiting his indictment and trial. It was months after his release that he had an encounter with Livye’s mother, Darci Bass, at a convenience store. She confronted him, accused him of murder, and even followed him to the parking lot. There, she grabbed a chain from the bed of his truck and struck his windshield with it. Edgar filed assault charges against her, though those charges were later dropped.
On March 16, 2021, Edgar was indicted by a grand jury, and his trial commenced on January 23, 2022. He attended the first three days of the trial but did not appear on the fourth day. His mother expressed concern, saying she couldn’t find her gun at home and feared he might harm himself. When his ankle monitor was checked, it was revealed that he had let the battery run out, making it difficult to track his movements. Despite his absence, the jury found him guilty of murder and sentenced him to 99 years in prison. Edgar was declared a fugitive, prompting an intense search by the police.
Matthew Edgar is Serving a 99-Year Sentence Today
Tips came from various locations, but authorities suspected that he was closer than they had initially thought. Livye Lewis’ mother accused Matthew Edgar’s family, including his mother, of hiding him, claiming she had seen him buying his favorite items around town. In December 2022, a tip led police to a house in Hemphill, Texas, which turned out to be Edgar’s grandparents’ home, located not far from his mother’s residence. One team of officers tried to catch a glimpse of Edgar from the woods, while another surrounded the house from the other side.
As a thunderstorm raged overhead, the police used the cover of the weather to inch closer to the house. It was then that they saw a man exit the house and light a cigarette on the porch. Upon confirming his identity as Edgar, the other team swiftly moved in and arrested him without resistance. In January 2023, he was finally taken into custody. Now 28 years old, he is being held at the TDCJ Ellis Unit. While he will be eligible for parole in 2052, his maximum release date is set for 2121.
