In the final moments of his last shift with the Columbus Police Department, 32-year-old Officer James Neal Bowers responded to a robbery in progress at the Majik Market on N. Lumpkin Road on April 4, 1979. It was a call he didn't have to take, as his shift was ending, but his dedication to his duty led him to the convenience store where his life was tragically cut short.
He had served on the force for seven years and was on the cusp of a new career as a lawyer, having recently taken the Bar exam.
Tragically, Officer Bowers was shot and killed during the robbery. The news of his death sent shockwaves through the community and his department. A man who had dedicated his life to upholding the law and was preparing to transition into a new chapter of serving justice was taken senselessly. He left behind a wife and a five-year-old son who would have to grow up without their father. In a bittersweet turn of events, the results of his Bar exam arrived after his death, confirming that he had passed. He was posthumously recognized during the law school graduation ceremony.
The two individuals responsible for Officer Bowers' murder, a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old, were apprehended. One of the assailants was identified as William S. Lewis III. Both the shooter and his accomplice were subsequently sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the robbery and the death of Officer Bowers.
