Champagne Woods was a 28-year-old Black woman remembered for her bright smile and kindness. A mother to a six-year-old son, she had worked as a pre-K teacher at Maker’s Design Preschool in Lamesa, Texas, and was most recently employed at a local McDonald's. Friends and community members recalled her as a wonderful person who had a positive impact on many lives, with one friend sharing how kindly Champagne treated her son who has special needs. A college savings fund was later established for Woods's son.
On the evening of October 19, 2019, Woods was inside her apartment in the 1300 block of S. Detroit Avenue. At around 10:30 p.m., multiple shots were fired from outside through a window, striking her in the arm and the back. Her young son was in the home at the time of the shooting. Woods, who was seven months pregnant with a baby boy, was rushed to a Lamesa hospital, where she died from her injuries. Her unborn son did not survive.
The Lamesa Police Department’s investigation led them to Demarcus Dwain Bufford, a 30-year-old man from Andrews County who police said had a child with Woods. A warrant was issued, and on October 25, 2019, deputies took Bufford into custody without incident during a traffic stop. He was charged with capital murder.
Bufford was later released on bond. In 2022, a grand jury indicted him on the capital murder charge, and he was re-arrested before again being released on bond while wearing a GPS monitor. The case was delayed several times but finally proceeded to trial in August 2025.
After jury selection began on August 11, 2025, the trial came to an abrupt end just days later. District Judge Reed Filly declared a mistrial due to allegations of false witness testimony and accusations that the prosecution had failed to disclose phone record evidence that the defense had repeatedly requested. Bufford’s attorneys subsequently filed a motion to have the case dismissed with prejudice, which would prevent the state from refiling charges. As of August 2025, the judge had not yet issued a ruling on the defense's motion.
