Travis Leslie Fox, a 26-year-old male of Caucasian ethnicity, tragically died on August 19, 2014, in Burnet, Texas. He was born on October 11, 1987, in Marshfield, Wisconsin, and later moved to Burnet with his family. Travis was known for his love of music, art, and animals, and he worked as a landscaper for Premier Landscape Company in Burnet.
The circumstances surrounding Travis's death were part of a tragic double homicide. On August 29, 2014, Garrett James Ballard, the son of Burnet County Constable Jimmy Ballard, shot and killed Travis Fox and his friend Elijah Adam Benson, 17, at Ballard's home. According to Ballard's statements to authorities, he and his friends had taken LSD to celebrate Benson's birthday, and as the drug took effect, Ballard claimed his friends began acting strangely and disruptively. Ballard then took his father's patrol rifle and shot both Fox and Benson.
Ballard was arrested and later convicted of capital murder. During the trial, Ballard admitted to the killings but claimed he felt threatened, although neither Fox nor Benson had weapons or had harmed him. The jury found Ballard guilty in less than an hour, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The case drew significant attention due to the involvement of a law enforcement officer's son and the tragic loss of two young lives. The Burnet County District Attorney decided not to seek the death penalty, and Ballard's conviction brought some measure of justice for the families of the victims.
Travis Leslie Fox's death left a lasting impact on his family, friends, and the community of Burnet, who remembered him fondly for his kind heart and passion for life.
