Family of Livye Lewis mourns, pleads for justice with murderer still at large

HEMPHILL, Texas (KTRE) - With Livye Lewis’ killer still at large, one of her cousins told East Texas News Sunday that her family is fighting to keep Matthew Hoy Edgar accountable.

Edgar, who as convicted of murder last week, failed to show up for his trial on Thursday. His trial continued in his absence through his attorney, and a Sabine County Jury found him guilty of killing his 19 year old girlfriend Livye Lewis.

On Friday, a jury returned a 99-year sentence and a $10,000 fine for Edgar. Sydney Ebarb, a cousin of Livye Lewis, said her family is fighting to keep Edgar accountable.

“I can’t say that we even got justice because we don’t know where he is. We don’t know what he is doing, or if he will ever be found to get his sentence,” Ebarb said. “But I’m glad that the jury did see him guilty, and they did not give him a slap on the wrist.”

Ebarb said she was shocked to hear Edgar did not show up for his third day of trial.

“I was just mad because he doesn’t get to make that decision. Like, you did what you did, you need to face that. We had to sit in that courtroom and hear things and see things. It hurt us. It was like reliving it all over again,” Ebarb said.

Ebarb said Edgar’s mug shot is not an accurate representation of what he looks like now.

“It’s not justice until he is behind bars. My aunt has been looking forward to look him in the eye and give the impact statement,” Ebarb said. “She didn’t get to do that. We didn’t get to see the look on his face when he was found guilty. We didn’t get to see him leave the courthouse in handcuffs instead of leaving the courthouse whistling like he was.”

The Sabine County Sheriff’s office has completed follow up investigation on numerous leads regarding the whereabouts of Edgar. These additional leads were cleared and closed for no connection to the case, including the arrest on an unrelated charge where a woman was taken into custody in Hardin County.

“The community needs to realize how serious this is. We never thought he would kill Livye, and he did. This man has nothing else to live for,” Ebarb said.

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