On September 27, 2023, at approximately 4:20 a.m., Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies responded to a reported shooting at a residence in the 8000 block of A and M Street in Beaumont, Texas. Upon arrival, they found 66-year-old Delbert Charles "Charlie" Lewis with a single gunshot wound to his left ribcage. Despite being in critical condition, Lewis informed deputies that he had been asleep when he was shot.
Present at the scene was 40-year-old Tracy Marie Samuel, identified as Lewis's girlfriend. Deputies discovered a Smith & Wesson M&P .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol near the foot of the bed, along with a spent .40 caliber shell casing. Samuel stated that she and Lewis had been asleep when she woke up to use the bathroom, where she smoked crack cocaine. She claimed that upon returning, she accidentally dropped the gun, which discharged, striking Lewis. Samuel immediately called 911, repeatedly stating that the shooting was accidental.
Lewis was transported to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries on October 3, 2023. That same day, Samuel was arrested by Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies and charged with murder. She was subsequently indicted by a Jefferson County grand jury on October 18, 2023, and is being held in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on an $800,000 bond.
Lewis's obituary notes that he was a resident of Beaumont, Texas, and passed away on October 3, 2023. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on October 13, 2023, at Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church, followed by entombment at Magnolia Cemetery. He is survived by his parents, Clarence Sr. and Martha Lewis, as well as several siblings and extended family members.
