Ronald Howard Mayes, a 37-year-old male of unspecified ethnicity, was tragically killed on October 8, 1983, in Sherman, Texas. Mayes, a former Sherman police officer, was one of four victims found in a metal building that served as a hangar for ultralight airplanes on a ranch about 5 miles northeast of Sherman. The other victims included Bob Tate, 51, Jerry Brown, 51, and Deputy Phillip Good, 29. All four men were ultralight aircraft enthusiasts who had gathered at the hangar to discuss the sale of an ultralight.
The investigation into their deaths was complicated by the fact that a .22-caliber weapon was used, and there was no clear motive. The victims were found with gunshot wounds, and the circumstances suggested that at least two, and possibly three, of the victims were shot with the gun against their heads, while Mayes was shot from a distance. A missing ultralight aircraft from the hangar added to the mystery, as it was believed to be connected to the case.
Lester Bower Jr., a chemical salesman from Arlington, was arrested and charged with the murders. Prosecutors built a circumstantial case that Bower stole the aircraft and shot the men as they showed up at the hangar to complete the purchase. Bower was convicted of the murders and executed in 2015.
The case, often referred to as the "Ultralight Murders," remained a significant and puzzling investigation for many years, with law enforcement struggling to find a clear motive or additional suspects. Despite the execution of Bower, questions and discussions about the case continued, reflecting the complexity and tragedy of the events that unfolded on that fateful day.
