Hemphill man texted ‘...take y’all with a smile on my face’ before shooting death

HEMPHILL, Texas (KTRE) - A Hemphill man is on trial, accused of shooting and killing a 19-year-old woman.

Matthew Hoy Edgar, 25, is charged with murder. He was arrested in November 2020 in connection with the death of Livye Lewis, 19.

According to testimony in court on Monday, investigators said Lewis was found dead on FM 83, about 2.5 miles east of Hemphill. She had a gunshot wound to the neck.

Edgar was found in the same area lying in the fetal position and bloody. According to court testimony, Edgar was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Edgar said he remembered drinking on the porch and awoke in the ambulance. Investigators say Edgar cried when he learned Lewis was dead.

According to court testimony, Edgar and Lewis were at a party and an argument started regarding Lewis’ conversations with another man. After everyone had left the party, Lewis was on her way to Hemphill when Edgar caught up to her. Lewis was found dead in the vehicle at the side of the road, but there was no evidence of a wreck.

The state showed texts sent from Edgar’s phone.

“I will watch y’all, take y’all with a smile on my face,” said one of the messages.

At 3:34 a.m., the third party in the triangle texted Edgar, asking where Lewis was. Edgar responded with “dead,” according to court testimony. The state pointed out that Edgar would be the only person who would know Lewis was dead at that time.

The state put together a timeline of events, stating Edgar had used his truck when he shot Lewis. Then he took her phone and key fob and went to his mother’s house. There, he got a different truck and was found at the scene. But he had dropped the key fob at his mother’s place.

The defense pointed out there was a lack of DNA evidence in the case, as Edgar’s DNA was not found on the key fob.

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