Ibory Dale "Teddy" Taylor, a 21-year-old man from Hawkins, Texas, tragically lost his life on April 29, 2022. Taylor was fatally shot at JJ's Fast Stop convenience store in Hawkins. The incident occurred around 9:15 a.m., when Taylor was found in critical condition and later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The suspected shooter, Devin Jevon Harper, a 20-year-old man, was arrested and charged with murder.
According to the arrest affidavit, Harper claimed he shot Taylor in self-defense. However, security camera footage reviewed by the police showed Harper pulling a handgun on Taylor and shooting him multiple times. Harper then fled the scene in a vehicle but was later taken into custody.
The shooting was reportedly the result of an argument over a girlfriend. Harper's bond was set at $1 million, and he remains in the Wood County Jail in connection with Taylor's death. The Hawkins Police Department, along with the Wood County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers, conducted the investigation.
The case has drawn significant attention, and the trial was set for the summer of 2022. Authorities have video evidence of the shooting but have not released it to the public. The community continues to mourn the loss of Taylor, who was remembered fondly by friends and family.
Taylor's funeral services were held on May 7, 2022, at New Zion Baptist Church in Hawkins, with burial following at Waters Bluff Cemetery in Winona, Texas.
This tragic incident has left a lasting impact on the community, and the legal proceedings continue as the investigation unfolds.
