Marshall Jefferson Sowders Jr., a 28-year-old male of Caucasian ethnicity, was a patrolman with the Longview Police Department in Texas. On the night of November 22, 1977, he was shot and killed while making a traffic stop of two robbery suspects on FM 1845 just west of Cotton Street. The incident occurred when Patrolman Sowders noticed a suspicious vehicle, turned his cruiser around, and approached it.
As he got closer, the male driver suddenly exited the vehicle and opened fire with a .357 caliber handgun, striking him four times.
Approximately 20 minutes later, another officer stopped the same vehicle near Gilmer. A woman exited the vehicle and opened fire with the same .357 caliber handgun. The officer returned fire with a shotgun, critically wounding her. Both suspects, a 23-year-old male and a 23-year-old female, were taken into custody. The male suspect was charged with capital murder and jailed without privilege of bond. The female suspect, paralyzed from the waist down, was later allowed to go home due to her need for special care.
On September 29, 1978, the male suspect was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. However, on April 10, 1991, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Patrolman Sowders had served with the Longview Police Department for only three months, but he had previously served with another law enforcement agency. He was survived by his wife.
The tragic death of Patrolman Marshall Jefferson Sowders Jr. was a stark reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in the line of duty. His memory continues to be honored by his family, friends, and fellow officers.
