Ebony Michelle Sheppard, a 30-year-old African American woman from Austin, Texas, tragically lost her life on December 26, 2017. She was fatally shot in the parking lot of the Travis Station Apartments in East Austin. Sheppard had been celebrating Christmas with her family and had gone outside to move her car closer to the door when she was approached by the suspect.
The suspect, Xavier Oneal Lewis, a 19-year-old male, was later identified and arrested for the murder. According to police reports, Lewis had been involved in several aggravated robberies on Christmas Day and was out on bond for a pending felony related to an aggravated robbery that took place in 2016. On the night of the murder, Lewis confessed to shooting Sheppard after she began to scream while he attempted to rob her.
Lewis was taken into custody on December 28, 2017, by the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in Pflugerville, Texas, without incident. He was charged with murder and several counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. In August 2019, Lewis accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the murder of Sheppard. He will be eligible for parole in 25 years.
Sheppard's family and friends remember her as a talented artist, a loving mother to her 4-year-old son, and a wonderful person with a bright smile and a kind heart. Her family set up a GoFundMe account to help cover her burial expenses and provide support for her son. Despite the tragedy, her family continues to honor her memory and keep her legacy alive through her art and the stories they share about her.
The case brought attention to the issues of crime and safety in the Austin area, and the community continues to mourn the loss of Ebony Michelle Sheppard, whose life was taken far too soon.
