The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis

Summary

Summary of "The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis"

Podcast Title: 48 Hours
Host: CBS News
Episode: The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis
Release Date: January 6, 2025

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Introduction

"The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis" delves into the tragic and complex case of Livye Lewis, a 19-year-old nursing assistant whose life was brutally taken on Halloween morning in Hemphill, Texas. This episode meticulously unpacks the events leading up to her death, the ensuing investigation, the controversial trial, and the lingering questions that continue to haunt her family and the community.

Background of Livye Lewis

Livye Lewis was a bright and compassionate young woman, recently graduating high school with a scholarship to a local college. At just 19, she was already a certified nursing assistant at a nearby nursing home, a role she was passionate about. Livye's life took a devastating turn on the morning of Halloween, October 31, 2020, when she was found dead in her car, draped over the steering wheel, with a rifle shot to her neck.

Darcy Bass (Livye's Mother): "Livy was a perfect child. She was kind and loving. She was selfless." [01:13]

The Relationship Between Livye and Matthew Edgar

Livye was entangled in a tumultuous relationship with Matthew Edgar, a 23-year-old man who was married to Montana Bockel and had two young sons. Their affair began in November 2019 and was characterized by volatility and abuse. Despite attempts by Livye to end the relationship, Matthew persisted, leading to a dangerous love triangle that involved Montana Bockel.

Peter Van Sant: "At first, they didn't get along. Livy and Montana didn't. I think that was out of jealousy on Montana's behalf." [09:22]

Matthew Edgar: "I'm not really down for being a homewrecker." [08:30]

The Night of the Murder

On the night of October 31, 2020, tensions reached a boiling point. Livye decided to stay overnight at her friend Bobby Ozan's house, leading to a confrontation with Matthew. Witnesses reported that Matthew became increasingly aggressive, even attempting to choke Montana.

Darcy Bass: "He tried to choke me. And then that's when I went and got Bobby." [23:07]

Following the altercation, Matthew was found in a hospital bed with unexplained injuries and blood on his face but claimed to have no memory of the events that led to Livye's death.

Matthew Edgar: "I have no clue why I'm here." [15:52]

Investigation and Arrest

Sheriff's investigator JP McDonough scrutinized Matthew's account, finding inconsistencies and evidence that contradicted his claims. DNA evidence placed Matthew at the crime scene, including a speck of Livye's blood on his pants.

Peter Van Sant: "There were DNA samples from Livy that showed there was another man. I have no doubt, and I'm gonna make this perfectly clear. Matthew Edgar killed Ms. Lewis." [04:20]

Matthew's defense attorney contested the significance of the DNA evidence, arguing that a single drop of blood was inconclusive.

Rob Hughes (Defense Attorney): "It's critical. It puts him there at the time that that injury caused her death." [33:35]

Despite his claims of innocence, Matthew was indicted for Livye's murder after the grand jury proceedings.

Matthew Edgar's Escape and Ongoing Manhunt

In February 2021, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Matthew was released on bond due to court delays. Shortly after his release, he fled, becoming a fugitive. Efforts to locate him intensified, involving local law enforcement and the Texas Rangers. Months passed with no leads until a tip suggested he was hiding near his grandparents' property.

Peter Van Sant: "We put in a lot of hours, a lot of weekends, a lot of late nights." [36:34]

The manhunt culminated in Matthew's capture after nearly a year on the run. He was found with his mother, Cindy Hogan, who was later charged with hindering apprehension but was cleared of involvement in the murder.

Trial and Sentencing

The trial of Matthew Edgar commenced on January 24, 2022. Key evidence included the DNA match and threatening texts between Matthew and Montana. Despite his absence during the trial, a jury found Matthew guilty of murder after deliberating for approximately an hour and a half. He was sentenced to 99 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years.

Darcy Bass: "Can only hope. But he doesn't suffer like her brother. He doesn't suffer like her little sister." [43:32]

Impact on the Community and Livye's Family

Livye's mother, Darcy Bass, remains steadfast in her pursuit of justice, grappling with the loss and trauma inflicted by the events. The community of Hemphill, a small town where everyone knows each other, continues to process the tragedy, emphasizing the pervasive impact of Livye's murder.

Darcy Bass: "I want her to be remembered for the way that she carried herself and the happy person that she was to be around." [44:12]

Unanswered Questions and Ongoing Concerns

Despite the conviction, questions linger regarding the full extent of Matthew's involvement and the potential influences that led to Livye's untimely death. The episode highlights the challenges faced by families seeking closure in the wake of such tragedies and underscores the complexities of domestic abuse and its consequences.

Conclusion

"The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis" offers a gripping exploration of a heartbreaking case, illustrating the intricate dynamics of relationships, the rigorous demands of criminal investigations, and the enduring quest for justice by those left behind. Through detailed reporting and poignant interviews, the episode honors Livye's memory while shedding light on the darker aspects of human behavior and societal impact.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Darcy Bass: "Livy was a perfect child. She was kind and loving." [01:13]
• Matthew Edgar: "I have no clue why I'm here." [15:52]
• Peter Van Sant: "Matthew Edgar killed Ms. Lewis." [04:20]
• Rob Hughes: "You can get DNA transferred from just touching someone." [33:57]
• Darcy Bass: "I want her to be remembered for the way that she carried herself." [44:12]

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key elements of the "The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis" episode, providing listeners with an in-depth understanding of the case, the individuals involved, and the broader implications of the investigation and trial.

Transcript

[Peter Van Sant]

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[Matthew Edgar]

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[Peter Van Sant]

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[Matthew Edgar]

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[Darcy Bass]

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[Peter Van Sant]

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[Matthew Edgar]

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[Darcy Bass]

Where's my kid?

[Peter Van Sant]

I don't.

[Darcy Bass]

Where is my kid? It's a blur. Will y'all tell me something? Where's my kid? Where is she at? I didn't know anything. I just wanted her to be okay. She's alive, huh?

[Matthew Edgar]

Come here. She's not alive.

[Peter Van Sant]

I want to see my child.

[Darcy Bass]

I just needed to know, is she alive or is she dead? Libby Lewis. Where is she? Where is she at? You don't want to sound cliche, but Livy was a perfect child. She was kind and loving. That's why she went into nursing. She obviously had something about her that she loved to take care of people. She was selfless. Where is my child?

[Matthew Edgar]

I told you, she was a child.

[Darcy Bass]

In this car. What car?

[Matthew Edgar]

She's in this pole right here behind us.

[Darcy Bass]

I didn't know if I wanted to believe that she was in that car. I didn't want her to be. Because if she was and she was, then it was real and she was gone. How y'all doing? Who was the one that actually drove by? You saw it first. So I pull over and I seen throughout my passenger seat. And I was like, she must be just slumped over. Maybe she's just drunk. You know, the door was already open. I was like, hey. Like, I shook her. And that's when I called. 911-911-91.

[Matthew Edgar]

So what it lookin like?

[Peter Van Sant]

Yo?

[Darcy Bass]

Right here.

[Matthew Edgar]

6:00 in the morning, I'm at home when my telephone rings. Sheriff wanted me to come in, sit with Matthew at the hospital. All right. Matthew. Matthew Edgar, right?

[Darcy Bass]

Yeah.

[Matthew Edgar]

And while I was there, I interviewed him. I had no clue why. I was. No clue. You have a girlfriend? Kind of. I have a girlfriend named Livy. He was found in the fetal position behind the vehicle that Levy was found in. When was the last time you saw Livy? Tonight. He remembers drinking on his porch. And the next thing he remembered, he was waking up in the back of an ambulance. You don't know how you ended up on the ground behind the car with the dead girl in it? I don't have a clue. There was a rifle, some shoes, and a hat also on the ground. That's his boots. He was laying there beside him. How'd you get all the blood all over your face? I don't know. Because the hospital said you don't have any injuries.

[Peter Van Sant]

What are you thinking?

[Matthew Edgar]

I'm thinking that he's not telling me the truth.

[Peter Van Sant]

He's just basically telling you a Texas fairytale, right?

[Matthew Edgar]

Correct. I'm gonna be flat out honest with you, but unfortunately, there is a deceased female in that vehicle that's in front of yours. And my job is to find out why she's dead. Who is the dead girl? Did they tell you a name? Nimmy. I informed him that Ms. Lewis had passed. He started with this, what I would describe as forced crying.

[Peter Van Sant]

Did you see any tears?

[Matthew Edgar]

Not a single one.

[Peter Van Sant]

The world seems to think that Matthew Edgar is a murderer. Do you believe that?

[Matthew Edgar]

I do not.

[Peter Van Sant]

Do you believe that someone else pulled that trigger?

[Matthew Edgar]

I do. I believe it was someone that was close to Matthew. Someone that was involved in events of that evening. We got all the DNA results back, and there were some holes in the case. There were no fingerprints taken or DNA lifted off the gun. There were DNA samples from Livy that showed there was another man. I have no doubt, and I'm gonna make this perfectly clear. Matthew Edgar killed Ms. Lewis.

[Peter Van Sant]

You put your reputation on that?

[Matthew Edgar]

Absolutely.

[Peter Van Sant]

Peter Van Sant reports the blackout murder of Livy Lewis in the early morning hours of Halloween, 2020, a day when the boundaries between the living and the dead become blurred. Livy Lewis was discovered draped over the steering wheel of her car, dead from a rifle shot to the neck.

[Darcy Bass]

Here's her ID.

[Peter Van Sant]

Livy had just turned 19.

[Darcy Bass]

I don't know if dispatch has notified her.

[Peter Van Sant]

Next to Ken on It happened in Hemphill, a tiny town in Texas with a population just over 1000. The kind of place where no one is a stranger and news spreads like wildfire.

[Darcy Bass]

Isn't that Darcy Bass's daughter? Yeah, that's what I was.

[Peter Van Sant]

That is how Livy's mother, Darcy Bass, heard the news. When a friend called to say that Livy had been shot. You didn't know if she was dead or alive?

[Darcy Bass]

No.

[Peter Van Sant]

I want to see my child.

[Darcy Bass]

And the next time I. Yeah, saw her, she was in. In a casket. I don't believe it. I don't believe it. Oh, my God.

[Peter Van Sant]

By all accounts, Libby Lewis was a remarkable young woman, a straight A student and recent high school graduates with a scholarship to a local college.

[Darcy Bass]

So I'm Libby Heather Lewis. Just imagining my future and the goals that I will accomplish makes me excited. Her dream was to go on to college, become a nurse, and then become a physician's assistant.

[Peter Van Sant]

Livy was already a certified nursing assistant at a local nursing home.

[Darcy Bass]

She was loved by all the residents there.

[Peter Van Sant]

That's a tough job, too.

[Darcy Bass]

Yes, and she loved it. That was her passion.

[Peter Van Sant]

That's also where she met one of her best friends, fellow nursing assistant Taylor Barnett.

[Darcy Bass]

We worked together, and then she just started staying with me all the time.

[Peter Van Sant]

Taylor was nearly six years older and had a young daughter, but she says Livy fit right in.

[Darcy Bass]

Have you seen Livy? You've seen me. We just clicked, like, automatically.

[Peter Van Sant]

Bailey Williams met Livy in kindergarten.

[Darcy Bass]

She was a person that wanted stability and didn't want to play like, the kid games. She was ready to be grown up.

[Peter Van Sant]

That's probably why Livy fell for an older man, Matthew Edgar, who was 23 when they met.

[Darcy Bass]

But I was dating a guy who was actually friends with Matthew, so we all just kind of started hanging out.

[Peter Van Sant]

Livy was still a senior in high school when she and Matthew began a secret relationship. Matthew was married to Montana Bockel, the mother of his two young sons. Phone records indicate that Livy and Matthew began texting each other in November 2019, when Matthew wrote, you do realize you cannot say a word to anybody that we are even texting. Lol. Well, obviously I'm not going to brag about texting a married man, but thanks for the clarification. It appears that after a very brief affair, Livy quickly and firmly ended things. But Matthew wasn't done. About four months later, he texted to complain about how unhappy he was in his marriage. I cheated again, he said. But Livy held her ground. I'm not really down for being a homewrecker, she wrote. Nearly two months later, Matthew ended his marriage in this text exchange with his wife, where he said, ain't you, it's me. Me, always cheating on you. Four days later, Montana hired a divorce attorney. Matthew moved out and circled back to Livy. At just 18, Livy was now navigating a relationship with a man who had two young sons and a soon to be ex wife.

[Darcy Bass]

At first, they didn't get along. Livy and Montana didn't. I think that was out of jealousy on Montana's behalf. And then it was kind of just like the flip Of a switch. All of a sudden, Montana wanted to be Livy's best friend. And they talked all the time. I think in Livvy's eyes, she was definitely thinking she had a friend.

[Peter Van Sant]

And in Montana's eyes, what do you think?

[Darcy Bass]

I think that she was jealous. I think that some people get close to people and they have other reasoning behind it.

[Peter Van Sant]

And so do you think in some ways a dangerous love triangle had formed?

[Darcy Bass]

Yes, definitely. A dangerous love triangle.

[Matthew Edgar]

Yes, you can call it that. Absolutely.

[Peter Van Sant]

Sabine County Sheriff's investigator JP McDonough questioned Matthew about his relationship with Montana and Livy.

[Matthew Edgar]

What's your relationship like with both of them? Awesome. Okay, so it's not a typical I hate your guts? Hell no. Okay. It's awesome. Okay. My ex wife and her, they're big buddies.

[Darcy Bass]

I just told Libby to just be cautious. You can get along with her for their children, but don't be too close with her. I mean, because that's his ex wife.

[Peter Van Sant]

But Taylor says that as time went by, it was Matthew's behavior that became the most menacing.

[Darcy Bass]

He was pretty much abusive in more ways than one. For a little while he was staying at my house with her and he would just get drunk and crazy and either holler at her and like, it got so bad that like, I didn't want him there at my house anymore.

[Peter Van Sant]

Phone records show that the relationship was a roller coaster ride. While at times Matthew sent texts to Livy like, good night baby, I love you. Livy's texts, alleged physical abuse. I don't know why you keep putting your hands on me like that. My body hurts today.

[Darcy Bass]

I think that she was in love with who Matthew could be because she knew who he was and knew that what he was doing to her wasn't right. But she still stayed.

[Peter Van Sant]

Livy had been planning on moving to her new college campus. But in the summer of 2020, she stayed on that roller coaster ride, agreeing to move in with Matthew and help take care of him and his sons. She even redecorated the boys room, went.

[Darcy Bass]

To baseball, went to football, went to soccer ball, whatever.

[Peter Van Sant]

But things seem to have quickly turned ugly. In August of 2020, Livy writes to Matthew. I want to be in our home with you, but I can't do the way you act when you drink. I'm scared of you. You've laid your hands on me multiple times. I deserve better than that. Had she told you at that time that she had been violent?

[Darcy Bass]

No, she didn't tell me that. Probably figured that I would go do something crazy and she didn't want me probably getting in trouble.

[Peter Van Sant]

Livy did tell her cousin Sydney Ebar what was going on. She sent you a disturbing photograph.

[Darcy Bass]

Yes.

[Peter Van Sant]

Evidence of physical abuse, correct?

[Darcy Bass]

Yes, sir.

[Peter Van Sant]

Do you have that photo?

[Darcy Bass]

I do.

[Peter Van Sant]

Can you show it to me?

[Darcy Bass]

Yes, sir. He busted her nose.

[Peter Van Sant]

It's not clear what caused the altercation, but texts would later show that Matthew was cheating on Livy with of all people, Montana. On October 4, 2020, Livy's birthday, Matthew texted Montana, I didn't cheat on Livy with multiple women. Just you. Lol.

[Darcy Bass]

He was continuing a relationship on with his ex wife and had my daughter in the middle of it, not knowing that she was being manipulated by all of them. I was in an abusive relationship, so I just said, livy, you know it gets worse. But she said, I know. And I said, okay. I love you.

[Peter Van Sant]

Livy broke up with Matthew. But in a small town like Hemphill, you can run, but you can't really hide. In the early morning hours of Halloween 2020, Matthew and Livy would end up together again on the side of this road. He was hip hop's biggest mogul. The man who redefined fame, fortune, and the music industry.

[Matthew Edgar]

The first male rapper to be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sean Diddy Combs.

[Peter Van Sant]

Diddy built an empire and lived a life most people only dream about.

[Darcy Bass]

Everybody know ain't no party like a Diddy party.

[Matthew Edgar]

So yeah, that's what's up.

[Peter Van Sant]

But just as quickly as his empire rose, it came crashing down. Today I'm announcing the unsealing of a three count indictment charging Sean Combs with racketeering, conspiracy, sex trafficking, interstate transportation for prostitution.

[Darcy Bass]

I was up. I hit rock bottom. But I made no excuses. I'm disgusted.

[Matthew Edgar]

I'm so sorry.

[Darcy Bass]

Until you're wearing an orange jumpsuit, it's not real.

[Matthew Edgar]

Now it's real.

[Peter Van Sant]

From his meteoric rise to his shocking fall from grace from law and crime, this is the rise and fall of Diddy. Listen to the rise and fall of Diddy. Exclusively with Wondery. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of Wondery American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in US History. Presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, NASA embarks on an ambitious program to reinvent space exploration with the launch of its first reusable vehicle, the space shuttle.

[Darcy Bass]

And.

[Peter Van Sant]

And in 1985, they announced they're sending teacher Christa McAuliffe into space aboard the space shuttle Challenger, along with six other astronauts. But less than two minutes after liftoff, the Challenger explodes. And in the tragedy's aftermath, investigators uncover a series of preventable failures by NASA and its contractors that led to the disaster. Follow American scandal on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad free and be the first to binge the newest season only on Wondery. You can join Wondery in the Wondery app, Apple podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today. The morning Livy Lewis was killed on the side of the road, her ex boyfriend, Matthew Edgar, found himself in a hospital bed, claiming he had no idea how he got there.

[Matthew Edgar]

I have no clue why I'm here.

[Peter Van Sant]

Despite the blood on his face, Matthew wasn't injured, but he did admit to sheriff's investigator J.P. mcDonough that he'd been drinking.

[Matthew Edgar]

How much bottle? Jim Bean. Jim Bean. Anything else? Few beers earlier in the day.

[Peter Van Sant]

He said he'd been at a party the night before at his friend Bobby Ozan's house. That's when he claims he last saw Livy.

[Matthew Edgar]

Her, My ex wife. Both was there. Okay, so you left Bobby's, went to your house, you went home. I was at my house. Okay.

[Peter Van Sant]

And that's where Matthew claims he blacked out and simply can't explain how he ended up in a fetal position between a black truck that wasn't his and Livy's car.

[Matthew Edgar]

You don't know how you ended up on the ground behind the car with the dead girl in it? I don't have a clue.

[Peter Van Sant]

McDonough took swabs of the blood on Matthew's face for DNA testing.

[Matthew Edgar]

All right, Matthew, I'm gonna do this one on the chin.

[Peter Van Sant]

And Matthew's clothing was taken into evidence.

[Matthew Edgar]

I'm gonna go through some of your clothes, okay? Yes, sir.

[Peter Van Sant]

Then McDonough placed Matthew under arrest.

[Matthew Edgar]

Charge is gonna be homicide. All right, now pay attention to me. I want you to understand why. Okay. Okay. You were found behind the vehicle where the decedent was. There was some kind of relationship between you and her. There is a weapon laying on the ground behind the vehicle close to where you were found. Okay. Based on that and a few other things, I'm gonna place you in custody right now for homicide. Okay.

[Peter Van Sant]

What's his reaction to that? He had none, but he didn't say. You're gonna do what? I didn't do anything. Nothing at all?

[Matthew Edgar]

Nothing at all.

[Peter Van Sant]

With Matthew jailed, McDonough was on a legal deadline. According to Texas law, the the district attorney's office now had 90 days to present enough evidence to a grand jury to indict Matthew or They would have to release him on bond. So McDonough enlisted the help of the Texas Rangers and began piecing together what.

[Matthew Edgar]

Happened to Livy Matthew was just an easy arrest.

[Peter Van Sant]

Sean Dunn is an old friend of Matthew's.

[Matthew Edgar]

He told me, hey, look, you know, I didn't do this. Yes, I was there at the scene, but you know, I did not do this. I loved her.

[Peter Van Sant]

Sean, a former Texas oil and gas man, once employed a then 20 year old Matthew as a supervisor on his pipeline.

[Matthew Edgar]

I know Matthew. I spent a lot of time with him. He was a hard worker. You know, he loved his family. He valued his friendship with people.

[Peter Van Sant]

Sean was also once a deputy sheriff and says in his personal and professional opinion, Matthew is innocent.

[Matthew Edgar]

When you're in law enforcement and you sit across the table from somebody that has taken someone's life as a cold blooded killer, there's a certain feel that you get from that person. I never seen him reach that point.

[Peter Van Sant]

Shawn believes Matthew when he says he has no memory of what happened.

[Matthew Edgar]

The cause of death for that girl is not natural.

[Peter Van Sant]

And thinks this moment.

[Matthew Edgar]

Did they tell you a name?

[Peter Van Sant]

Libby was very real.

[Matthew Edgar]

I believe that was. That was genuine, that that was the first time that he knew that she was deceased.

[Peter Van Sant]

Which raises the obvious question. If Matthew Edgar did not kill Livy, who did?

[Matthew Edgar]

That's kind of still up in the air, in my opinion. There's plenty of other people that could be involved in this.

[Peter Van Sant]

Sean won't name names, but Matthew and his mother Cindy have insinuated that someone else killed Livy Montana. Listen to this recorded jailhouse call. But I'm saying, Matthew, if it turns.

[Darcy Bass]

Out that Montana did this, I don't.

[Matthew Edgar]

Want to talk about it.

[Darcy Bass]

Please. I mean, it's not going to make.

[Peter Van Sant]

You want to hurt her because she killed the woman you loved, are you?

[Darcy Bass]

I don't know.

[Peter Van Sant]

Sheriff's investigator J.P. mcDonough says Montana's unusual friendship with Livy did get his attention.

[Matthew Edgar]

My husband left me for this woman, but she's my best friend. You know, I have to question that as an investigator.

[Peter Van Sant]

This is one of the last photos ever taken of Livy. She is with Montana, and they are at that party Matthew told investigators about at Bobby Ozan's place.

[Matthew Edgar]

I'm going to say there's probably about.

[Peter Van Sant]

20 people there, including Matthew and Montana's sons. Bobby told investigators Matthew spent the night watching Livy and Montana party with everyone but him.

[Matthew Edgar]

He would try to come over there and talk to them, and they just really wouldn't say much to him. They were Just basically ignoring him.

[Peter Van Sant]

Investigators learned that Livy had broken up with Matthew just weeks earlier, and he had taken up with another young woman in town.

[Matthew Edgar]

I am trying to find out her.

[Peter Van Sant]

Relationship with Matthew Edgar.

[Darcy Bass]

We were having sex, just. I met him that Monday, and we saw each other every day.

[Matthew Edgar]

So you just known him a week?

[Peter Van Sant]

Yeah. But it was clear to Bobby that Matthew wasn't over Livy.

[Darcy Bass]

He was just hurt.

[Matthew Edgar]

And then now she don't want nothing to do with him no more. She's going on with her life just like you don't exist anymore.

[Peter Van Sant]

Bobby says Matthew was stewing at the party.

[Matthew Edgar]

He just wasn't himself his own age.

[Peter Van Sant]

Just drinking beer and drinking heavily.

[Matthew Edgar]

Yes, sir. Yeah.

[Peter Van Sant]

And the more he drank, the angrier he got.

[Matthew Edgar]

Exactly.

[Peter Van Sant]

What do you think of Matthew Edgar's story? Chat now with the 48 Hours team on Facebook and X. As the party at Bobby Ozan's was winding down, Matthew Edgar says he called it a night.

[Matthew Edgar]

Oh, so you left Bobby's, went to your house and went home? I was at my house.

[Peter Van Sant]

That's where Matthew's memory goes blank. But his ex wife, Montana Bocal, remembers much more.

[Matthew Edgar]

Today is October 31st.

[Peter Van Sant]

In this audio recording, Montana told investigators Matthew suddenly came back to the party and learned that Livy had decided to stay overnight at Bobby's.

[Matthew Edgar]

You think he heard Libby say she gonna stay there?

[Darcy Bass]

Oh, I know he heard her because that's what made him so mad during.

[Matthew Edgar]

The course of the investigation and during my interviews with family and friends. And Matthew had intended to ask Ms. Lewis to marry him. That's how significant he felt about Ms. Lewis. To hear her back at the house say that I'm going to stay with.

[Peter Van Sant]

Bobby was just meaning sleep with Bobby.

[Matthew Edgar]

Correct.

[Peter Van Sant]

That was too much.

[Matthew Edgar]

It was just too much.

[Peter Van Sant]

According to Montana, Matthew was so angry, he even took it out on her.

[Darcy Bass]

He tried to choke me. And then that's when I went and got Bobby.

[Matthew Edgar]

So I went outside, and he had.

[Darcy Bass]

Kicked all the doors in on a.

[Matthew Edgar]

Car and was punching on the window. At one point, Bobby had to pin Matthew against the car in order for the girls to be able to leave.

[Darcy Bass]

The whole time I'm holding him, he's.

[Matthew Edgar]

Screaming atop his lungs, I'm going to kill y'all. I'm going to kill y'all.

[Peter Van Sant]

Montana says she, she and Livy left in separate cars in search of safety. Montana says she headed toward the home where Matthew's mother and grandparents lived. And that's where Matthew caught up with her.

[Darcy Bass]

He pulled in behind me. I went to get out. And he started choking me again.

[Peter Van Sant]

Their children were in the backseat of Matthew's van, and I was honking the horn so somebody would come outside in all the racket. Montana says Matthew left and headed for his own home. A short distance away on the same property. A shaken Montana says she asked to stay the night with Matthew's mother and grandparents and then began texting with Matthew.

[Darcy Bass]

I have a message.

[Matthew Edgar]

What does he say?

[Peter Van Sant]

You took part in it and you are guilty as she is, wrote Matthew as he angrily accused Montana of playing a part in Livy's decision to spend the night with Bobby Ozan. Those texts would become damning evidence in the case against Matthew Edgar.

[Darcy Bass]

He said, you knew what was going on.

[Peter Van Sant]

A decision that appears to have enraged him.

[Darcy Bass]

He said, I will take your life, her life, and his life. Mark my words.

[Peter Van Sant]

At 3:22am Matthew texts, I'm leaving. Better get here and get your kids. McDonough says evidence shows that a drunk and angry Matthew then got behind the wheel of his truck, where he kept his rifle and went hunting for Livy.

[Matthew Edgar]

I think she pulled over to talk to him. And I'll tell you why. She was just sitting there with her legs crossed. Indicates to me she was not afraid. It was not a fight or flight thing where she was prepared to just bolt out the car. She was actually to some degree comfortable with who she was speaking with.

[Peter Van Sant]

12 minutes after texting, I'm leaving Liv. Matthew texted, I'm home. I got Livy's keys and her phone. Montana asked, where is she? Matthew's response, dead. Montana told investigators she didn't call 911 because she didn't believe he was serious. Instead, Montana texted Matthew, can I come down there? His reply? Yeah. But Montana claims that Matthew's mother wouldn't let her leave, so she just fell asleep.

[Darcy Bass]

I never left. I didn't even know anything had happened until I woke up at around 6:00 this morning.

[Peter Van Sant]

But Matthew didn't go to bed. McDonough says evidence shows that not long after sending that text that Livy was dead. Matthew did something no one can explain. He went back to the crime scene, this time in his cousin Zach's truck. It's that truck that was found parked behind Livy's car. Why would he go back then? Why would he return to the scene of the crime?

[Matthew Edgar]

That would be a question you'd have to ask Matthew. I can't explain that.

[Peter Van Sant]

Also hard to explain Montana's failure to call 91 1. It made no sense to Livy's friend, Bailey.

[Darcy Bass]

She knew who he was and what type of person he was. And then she was receiving all those texts. I don't think that you can just take that with a grain of salt after you've received those text messages.

[Peter Van Sant]

Yeah. It's time to call police.

[Darcy Bass]

Right.

[Peter Van Sant]

McDonough says he and his team of investigators wondered if Montana had been to the crime scene that morning to try and help Matthew cover up Libby's murder.

[Darcy Bass]

I know you don't believe me, but I can't tell you stuff that I don't know happened.

[Peter Van Sant]

Two months after the crime, Montana was given a polygraph exam. Are you covering for the person responsible for Louie's death? After monitoring her physiological responses, Montana was told she failed the polygraph.

[Matthew Edgar]

There's no doubt that you left something out. There's something you're not telling me.

[Peter Van Sant]

But after an in depth, multi agency investigation, investigators concluded that Montana was never at the crime scene and had nothing to do with Livy's shooting or any cover up. And so to all those who think somehow she's involved, you say, not true. Not true at all. All the evidence says McDonough, points to one person. Matthew Edgar. Is there a motive in your mind?

[Matthew Edgar]

Jealousy.

[Peter Van Sant]

Jealousy.

[Matthew Edgar]

Plain and simple.

[Peter Van Sant]

In February 2021, the COVID pandemic shut down the courts. And this case, with no grand juries being convened, a judge was forced by law to release a still unindicted Matthew Edgar on a reasonable bond. $50,000.

[Darcy Bass]

For them to set it so low was insane to me.

[Peter Van Sant]

Months after Matthew's release, Darcy was at her local convenience store when Matthew just strolled in.

[Darcy Bass]

When he came in the door, I just went. Started throwing whatever at him and went for him. And I just remember saying, you killed my daughter. You killed my daughter. And that's.

[Peter Van Sant]

Matthew pressed charges against Darcy and she was arrested. The charges would eventually be dropped, but Darcy says she just wanted some answers.

[Darcy Bass]

She loved you. And she was good to you and your kids and to your family. What made you think that this was the answer to anything that was going on?

[Peter Van Sant]

On March 16, 2021, four and a half months after his arrest, charge is.

[Matthew Edgar]

Going to be homicide.

[Peter Van Sant]

A grand jury finally heard the evidence against Matthew Edgar and indicted him for the murder of Livy Lewis. But Matthew, who was still out on Bailey, wasn't done breaking the law and tormenting Livy's family.

[Darcy Bass]

I just was like, are you. Are you serious? You don't believe in ghosts? I get it. Lots of people don't. I didn't either. Until I came face to face with them. Ever since that moment, hauntings, spirits and the unexplained have consumed my entire life. I'm Nadine Bailey. I've been a ghost tour guide for the past 20 years. I've taken people along with me into the shadows, uncovering the macabre tales that linger in the darkness and inside some of the most haunted houses, hospitals, prisons and more. Join me every week on my podcast Haunted Canada as we journey through terrifying and bone chilling stories of the unexplained search for Haunted Canada on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

[Peter Van Sant]

Harvard is the oldest and richest university in America. But when a social media fueled fight over Harvard and its new president broke.

[Darcy Bass]

Out last fall, that was no protection.

[Peter Van Sant]

Claudine Gay is now gone.

[Darcy Bass]

We've exposed the DEI regime and there's much more to come.

[Peter Van Sant]

This is the Harvard Plan, a special series from the Boston Globe and WNYC's on the Media. To listen, subscribe to onthemedia wherever you get your podcasts as January 2022 and the trial of Matthew Edgar approached, Darcy Bass was confident that the evidence in the murder of her daughter Livy would finally prove that Matthew had killed her. What in this case struck you as the most powerful evidence against Matthew Egger?

[Darcy Bass]

From him saying that he was going to kill them her till him being at the scene to it being his gun.

[Peter Van Sant]

Then there were all all those venomous texts between Matthew and Montana that Taylor and Bailey say ended with a clear.

[Darcy Bass]

Confession when he texts and said she's dead.

[Peter Van Sant]

Because who would know that except the.

[Darcy Bass]

Person who did it.

[Peter Van Sant]

And remember that text that read I got Livy's keys and her phone? Well Livy's phone was found in the truck Matthew had driven to the crime scene. Her keys were found on the driveway at his grandparents house and reluctantly handed over to investigators by Matthew's mother, Cindy Hogan. Is it true in your opinion that she tried to keep Livy's keys from investigators?

[Matthew Edgar]

That was the indication.

[Peter Van Sant]

Cindy Hogan also tried to help her son by suggesting that Livy had been killed by a drug cartel because Matthew owed them money and that the cartel.

[Matthew Edgar]

Had killed Levy and staged it to make it look like Matthew did it because they were out $30,000.

[Peter Van Sant]

What do you think of that theory?

[Matthew Edgar]

I think it's a far fetched fairy tale.

[Darcy Bass]

It was so far fetched it was just a crazy story to try to distract people from the truth.

[Peter Van Sant]

On Monday, January 24, 2022, the trial of Matthew Edgar began with jury selection. Matthew, who was still out on bond. Walked in and out of court every day like a free man.

[Matthew Edgar]

Due to the nature of the crime and the emotion throughout the county, we had security arrangements in place for trial. We even had Matthew wearing a bulletproof vest.

[Peter Van Sant]

On the first day of testimony, the state began presenting its case, which included DNA lab results that detected a tiny speck of Livy's blood on the pants Matthew was wearing when he was found at the crime scene. How important is that piece of evidence?

[Matthew Edgar]

It's critical it puts him there at the time that that injury caused her death.

[Peter Van Sant]

But Matthew's court appointed defense attorney Rob Hughes, argued that a tiny drop of blood doesn't prove a thing. How else could that speck have gotten on his pant leg if not cut? Coming from blood spatter from the shooting.

[Matthew Edgar]

You can get DNA transferred from just touching someone.

[Peter Van Sant]

Hugh says there's no telling how long that blood had been there. And all that blood on Matthew's face that McDonough swabbed and had tested, it wasn't Livy's or Matthew's. And once they were excluded, investigators didn't pursue other matches. Hugh says there were additional DNA tests that also raised questions about who else may have been at the crime scene.

[Matthew Edgar]

There were other people's DNA on Matthew, and Livy was excluded as a contributor to those DNA samples.

[Peter Van Sant]

Hughes tried his best to argue that the DNA should be considered reasonable doubt, but admits that his biggest obstacle in defending Matthew were those texts and Matthew's insistence that he has no memory of. Of sending them. In your entire career as a defense attorney, have you ever had a client who was functioning during the course of a crime, texting, conversing with people, driving an automobile, who then said they had no memory whatsoever of the events?

[Matthew Edgar]

I have not.

[Peter Van Sant]

And you understand why that would be hard for people to believe?

[Darcy Bass]

Yes.

[Peter Van Sant]

Hughes also asserted that the murder weapon had not been tested for fingerprints or DNA, but conceded the rifle belonged to Matthew. After a second day of testimony, the prosecutor notified Hughes that he would be resting his case the next morning, and it would then be Hughes turn to call witnesses. Sean Dunn says that he had been snapchatting with Matthew, who was feeling optimistic about his chances.

[Matthew Edgar]

He was so confident that he was going. Going to need a job and asked me would I find him a spot to go to work.

[Peter Van Sant]

But the next morning, as Rob Hughes arrived at the courthouse, he got a panicked call from Matthew's mother, who told him her son was now a fugitive.

[Matthew Edgar]

She just started frantically telling me that Matthew was gone, Matthew had run, and he had taken a gun with him. She was afraid he was going to kill himself.

[Darcy Bass]

Are you serious? Like he's. He's gone. He shouldn't even been out on bond. Then he had an ankle monitor on. What happened with that?

[Peter Van Sant]

Authorities say Matthew had simply waited for the battery on his ankle monitor to die and then left home, most likely on foot.

[Matthew Edgar]

We started getting assets from all over Lufkin. Pd, swat, dps, Texas Rangers. We even had tracking dog from the prison unit. They followed a trail through the woods roughly two miles.

[Peter Van Sant]

Meanwhile, Matthew's trial went on without him. That very same day, defense attorney Rob Hughes began presenting his case. The jury was not told that Matthew had fled, but they must have wondered. So a case that's already very difficult for you has now become, I'll use the word impossible.

[Matthew Edgar]

It made a much. It didn't help, that's for sure.

[Peter Van Sant]

No one was surprised when after deliberating for about an hour and a half, the jury found Matthew Edgar guilty of murder. But he was still on the loose out there somewhere. An armed threat to himself and the community.

[Darcy Bass]

I mean, I think that it was like a scary time because it's Hemphill. He knows where everybody lives at. That was a terrible, crazy time for me, knowing that he's out there. Supposedly loved my daughter, but murdered her and me, the one that's actively trying to make sure that he goes to jail. What would he have done to me?

[Peter Van Sant]

Darcy says it felt like no one was searching for Matthew. So she became a mother on a mission and hung this homemade wanted poster all over town. But she wasn't alone. JP McDonough had been joined by Jeff Claire, a special deputy with the Eastern District U.S. marshals Service. And they were on the hunt for Matthew. Do you consider him right off the bat to be a dangerous fugitive?

[Matthew Edgar]

Oh, absolutely, from what I was told. From the murder, the crime scene. Yes, no doubt.

[Peter Van Sant]

See a timeline of the night of the murder at 48hours.com.

[Darcy Bass]

But her car was right here before this sign.

[Peter Van Sant]

This is the very spot where 19 year old Livy Lewis was murdered. Now a memorial lovingly tended to by her mother, Darcy.

[Darcy Bass]

I just want everyone to remember what happened here, what Livy had to go through.

[Peter Van Sant]

It's also a place that Darcy is convinced Matthew Edgar visited after becoming a fugitive.

[Darcy Bass]

I just felt it as a mother. I was like, he's coming here. He's not far.

[Peter Van Sant]

Darcy says she also heard rumors that Matthew's mother had been spotted buying her son's favorite cigarettes and liquor in large quantities.

[Darcy Bass]

Where is she taking them?

[Peter Van Sant]

To one week after Matthew ran from the law, Jeff Coulter, a special deputy with the US Marshals, was asked to take over the manhunt. When you first begin your investigation, do you start with his family to see if they've heard anything?

[Matthew Edgar]

No, no. I don't like being lied to. I've already heard their stories claiming she was killed by the cartel. So no, I didn't even waste my time.

[Peter Van Sant]

Coulter says he quietly spent nearly a year working with the sheriff's office and other law enforcement agencies around the country to chase down every lead that came their way.

[Matthew Edgar]

We had put in a lot of hours, a lot of weekends, a lot of late nights.

[Peter Van Sant]

Then a tip that Matthew might actually be hiding in plain sight just yards from his grandparents property in this house.

[Matthew Edgar]

It looked great, it sounded great, but we physically have to put eyes on him before we make a move on this residence.

[Peter Van Sant]

The house, which belonged to a family, was surrounded by woodlands. So Colter enlisted the aid of two wardens with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The plan to get as close as possible under the cloak of darkness, using night vision to ID their man.

[Matthew Edgar]

We were going to enter into the woods, make our way up to the back of the property, get as close as we could and sit there and see if we could get a visual of him.

[Peter Van Sant]

While Colter led a team of three men into the woods, JP McDonough and his deputies were on the opposite side of the house, near the driveway, but out of sight in their vehicles.

[Matthew Edgar]

My job was to sit right there at the front door of that house.

[Peter Van Sant]

If Colter and his men made a positive ID on Matthew, they would finally have him cornered.

[Matthew Edgar]

We went in about 4:30 in the afternoon. We knew he was going to get dark. About 5:30 we got to probably about 100 yards of the house and we heard barking. Come to find out they had a pretty good sized Rottweiler in the backyard. Then we're out there for an hour or so. We could hear voices, we could hear a female voice, we could hear a male voice, but it's so thick we can't see. Then we catch a violent thunderstorm. Lightning and thunder and torrential rain. It was miserable, but it was a blessing in disguise. And the noise covered our movement.

[Peter Van Sant]

They were 30 yards from the house when a second storm hit. But there was no giving up.

[Matthew Edgar]

That's 11 months and two days this needed to end tonight.

[Peter Van Sant]

Drenched and exhausted, Colter and his team could hear voices on the back porch of the house, but couldn't see faces until about 8pm When a man stepped off the porch, walks around the side.

[Matthew Edgar]

Of the house, and he stands there.

[Peter Van Sant]

One of Colter's men immediately recognized that man as Matthew Edgar.

[Matthew Edgar]

He goes, he's here. I got eyes on him. We got word that they had made a confirmation, drove down, pulled in the driveway. Back in the back, back, back. Watch the front. I got movement. They're in the house. Once we saw the lights, it was a 30 yard sprint. All four of us. We break the corner and we started screaming. Law enforcement, police, sheriff's office.

[Peter Van Sant]

Anybody outside, come out with your hands up.

[Matthew Edgar]

He jumps up and he throws himself against the wall.

[Peter Van Sant]

Like, oh, crap, you got me.

[Matthew Edgar]

Yeah, it was over with.

[Peter Van Sant]

Did you guys make eye contact?

[Matthew Edgar]

Absolutely. He said, hey, J.P. i said, hey, Matthew. And then he asked me, you hadn't proven my innocence yet. And I said, no, Matthew, I have not.

[Peter Van Sant]

Colter says, that's not all Matthew had to say that night.

[Matthew Edgar]

He said, please don't shoot my mother. Mother, please come out of the house.

[Peter Van Sant]

His mother is in the house.

[Matthew Edgar]

His mother's at the house.

[Peter Van Sant]

Was she crying? Was she upset?

[Matthew Edgar]

No. I think she acted amazed that he was there, like she didn't know what was going on.

[Peter Van Sant]

Really? Yes.

[Matthew Edgar]

Surprised he was there.

[Darcy Bass]

I'm going to jail for something I don't even know nothing about.

[Peter Van Sant]

Was she arrested as well?

[Matthew Edgar]

Not at the time. She was not.

[Darcy Bass]

Can somebody get my purse with my seizure medicine?

[Peter Van Sant]

Cindy Hogan was eventually charged with hindering apprehension. We reached out to her attorney for comment, but did not hear back. On January 3, 2023, Matthew Edgar was formally sentenced for the murder of Livy Lewis, 99 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after serving 30 years. Does it give you any. I don't know what the word is. Not any peace. But in prison, he will likely suffer for decades.

[Darcy Bass]

Can only hope. But he doesn't suffer like. Like her brother. He doesn't suffer like her little sister.

[Peter Van Sant]

Darcy hopes to be there when Matthew comes up for parole. And Taylor and Bailey say she won't.

[Darcy Bass]

Be alone, and I don't care. However, he says that he changes while he's in there. I don't think that that's something you can ever come back from, because she's definitely not coming back.

[Peter Van Sant]

Meanwhile, Darcy is trying to save up enough money to buy a headstone for Libby's grave. How do you carry on and honor your daughter's memory?

[Darcy Bass]

I just got to get up every morning and just remember the good things, and I want to make her proud. I don't want her to be remembered as the girl that got killed in the small town. I want her to be remembered for the way that she carried herself and the happy person that she was to be around.

[Peter Van Sant]

Cindy Hogan is awaiting trial. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, contact the National Domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233. If you like this podcast, you can listen ad free right now by joining Wondery plus in the Wondery app. Before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a quick [e-mail] survey.