Marshall Jefferson Sowders, Jr.

Longview Police Department — Longview, TX

Felonious

End of Watch November 22, 1977

Age 28

Tour of Duty 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 119 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Patrolman Marshall Sowders was shot and killed when he made a traffic stop of two robbery suspects on FM 1845 just west of Cotton Street. The call was the second such call in less than one hour. During his response, he noticed a suspicious vehicle, turned his cruiser around, and stopped it. As Patrolman Sowders approached the vehicle the male driver suddenly exited and opened fire with a .357 caliber handgun, striking him four times. 20 minutes later another officer stopped the vehicle near Gilmer. A woman got out and opened fire with the .357. The officer returned fire with a shotgun critically wounding her, and then took custody of her male companion. Both, 23, were charged with capital murder. The man was jailed without privilege of bond. After a month in the hospital the woman, paralysed from the waist down, was allowed to go home because of her need for special care. On September 29, 1978, the man, also the killer, was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. On April 10th, 1991, his sentence was commuted to life. Patrolman Sowders had served with the Longview Police Department for three months and had previously served with another agency.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-C9B8D210
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Sowders served with the Longview Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Longview community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Sowders.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Longview Police Department

Location Longview, TX

Platform Identity lpd.gregg.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 22, 1977

Tour of Duty 3 mo

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .357 caliber

Offender Sentenced to life

Patrolman Marshall Jefferson Sowders, Jr. is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Longview Police Department, 3 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Longview Police Department

of 7 officers

42.9% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious