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The upcoming episode of 48 Hours will replay the 2020 murder of Livye Lewis for which her boyfriend Matthew Edgar was arrested and later convicted in 2022.
The murder of Livye Lewis rocked her family to their core, especially her mother Darci Bass, who was desperate to find out why her daughter had been killed. Although there are some theories, the reason for her murder is still unknown.
Matthew Edgar was convicted in January 2022, however, he managed to escape during the trial. He was later arrested on December 29, 2022. Edgar was sentenced to 99 years behind bars with the possibility of parole in 2052, as per CBS 19. He remains incarcerated in Huntsville, Texas’s Byrd Prison for men.
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Season 37 episode 26 of 48 Hours will focus on this homicide. The episode is titled The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis and airs on CBS on January 4 at 10 pm ET.
Matthew Edgar was found bloodied at the crime scene
As per reports by CBS, Matthew Edgar, a Hemphill resident, was discovered alongside Livye Lewis, who was found dead inside her car, draped over the steering wheel. Lewis died from a gunshot wound to her neck.
Matthew Edgar, who was dating the victim at the time of her murder, was also present at the crime scene. As revealed by Sabine County Sheriff's Investigator J.P. MacDonough:
"He [Matthew Edgar] was found in the fetal position behind the vehicle that Lewis was found in."
Edgar’s rifle was located next to him. Although Edgar was bloodied, he was not injured. He was still taken to the hospital and when asked about how he ended up at the crime scene, he told the detectives that he didn’t have any memory of the incident.
However, as per KTRE, Edgar and the victim were at a party before the killing took place. Allegedly, (as per court testimony) Livye Lewis and Edgar argued because of a third person the former was talking to.
After the argument, Lewis left the party and as suspected by authorities, Matthew Edgar chased her down and killed her. He then went home, switched cars, kept the old car key (key fob) at his mother's home, and then went to the crime scene in a new truck. However, Edgar’s fingerprints were not found on the key fob.
As per KTRE the third person who the victim was allegedly talking to asked Edgar about her whereabouts that same night and Edgar replied with “dead.”
Another text message that surfaced during the court testimony, sent by Edgar read:
"I will watch y’all, take y’all with a smile on my face.”
Allegedly, Edgar had even taken the victim's phone after shooting her. However, "there were no fingerprints taken or DNA lifted off the gun,” as revealed by Edgar's defense attorney Rob Hughes to 48 Hours correspondent Peter Van Sant, which made the case more complex as it was still unclear if Matthew Edgar pulled the trigger.
Matthew Edgar remains incarcerated at Byrd Unit in Huntsville
Matthew Edgar was arrested in 2020, however, he was later released on bail as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all court proceedings and delayed them. Four and a half months after Edgar’s arrest, on March 16, 2021, he was found guilty of murder by a jury. He was sentenced to 99 years behind bars with the possibility of parole after 30 years.
On the fourth day of Edgar’s trial, he managed to drain the battery of his ankle monitor (a tracking device used by the state) and went on the run. He was arrested again on December 29, 2022, as per CBS 19, and remains incarcerated at Byrd Unit in Huntsville.
Darci Bass (victim's mother) who believes "justice is served," said in court after Matthew Edgar's sentencing:
"We got to see the justice system actually work for us," Bass said. "So there will be no real justice for my daughter's life. We lost more than he or anyone can imagine but her name will forever live on. Long live within Livye."
To learn about this case, watch season 37 episode 26 of 48 Hours titled The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis. The synopsis for the same reads as:
"Livye Lewis, 19, was found shot dead in her car, with her ex-boyfriend bloodied on the ground nearby. He says he has no memory of what happened."
The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis airs on CBS on January 4 at 10 pm ET.
