United States Marshal’s Service East Texas-Beaumont Press Release:

On January 27, 2022, E/TX United States Marshals Service assumed apprehension responsibility on the warrant of arrest for Matthew EDGAR (FID 11380202).  Said warrant had been issued after EDGAR failed to show up for court.  EDGAR had been accused of shooting/killing his girlfriend with a rifle during an argument, and had opted to go to a jury trial on the charge.  Upon failing to show up for court, multiple state and local law enforcement agencies flooded the area in an attempt to locate EDGAR; all of these attempts were ultimately unsuccessful.  EDGAR was eventually convicted of the murder in-absentia and sentenced to 99 years incarceration.  EDGAR’s disappearance received considerable media attention and prompted a large outcry from the surrounding community.

Special Deputy USMS Coulter, as lead investigator on this case, began pursuing leads and tips and devoted countless man-hours to tracking down EDGAR.  SDUSMS Coulter believed that EDGAR remained in east Texas or continued his close ties to the community and that his family and acquaintances were helping him “stay off the grid” despite EDGAR’s family insisting that he had simply walked out the back door of their home that day and disappeared.  

Over the course of SDUSMS Coulter’s investigation he developed information that EDGAR may be staying at a residence located at 667 Richards Drive in Hemphill.   SDUSMS Coulter began liasoning with the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office, the Lufkin Police Department Swat Team, and Texas Game Wardens Williams and Fountain in regard to EDGAR’s possible location. 

On December 29, 2022 a plan was set into motion to perform surveillance on the residence at 667 Richards Drive and take EDGAR into custody when/if sighted at said residence.

That afternoon Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force (JETFTF) personnel and Texas Game Wardens worked their way through the woods, and inclement weather, to assume surveillance positions in the wood line behind the aforementioned residence.  After several hours of waiting in the torrential rain, the Game Wardens were able to utilize night vision equipment to confirm that EDGAR and another male subject had stepped outside of the residence and were sitting on the back porch.  SDUSMS Coulter corresponded with nearby JETFTF personnel (DUSM David Sunderland and TFO Darrin Mooney), Sabine County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), and the Lufkin Police Department SWAT Team (who had mobilized in case a barricade situation should ensue), to coordinate an attempt to arrest EDGAR.

At approximately 20:30 hours, with JETFTF and SCSO personnel en-route to the front of the residence, SDUSMS Coulter, DUSM Yarbrough, and the Game Wardens, utilizing multiple small buildings on the property as concealment, began moving towards EDGAR and the other male subject.  As law enforcement arrived at the front of the residence, JETFTF and the Game Wardens quickly moved in on EDGAR and the other male and announced law enforcement presence.  EDGAR and the other subject were ordered down on the ground and taken into custody (the other male subject was later released).  EDGAR was turned over to on scene SCSO personnel and transported to the Sabine County Jail.