Burleson County Sheriff's Office, Texas
End of Watch Thursday, December 19, 2013
Add to My HeroesFredrich Adam Sowders
Sergeant Investigator Adam Sowders was shot and killed as he and seven other officers attempted to serve a no-knock warrant at rural home on County Road 278, near Snook, at approximately 5:30 am.
As the team made entry into the home they were met with gunfire from a .308 caliber rifle and Sergeant Sowders suffered fatal gunshot wounds. The subject who shot him was initially charged with capital murder, but a Grand Jury returned a no bill on the charges based on the suspect's self-defense claims. The grand jury indicted the man on felony possession of marijuana while in possession of a deadly weapon and in April 2017, he was sentenced to 19 months on the drug charges.
Sergeant Sowders had served with the Burleson County Sheriff's Office for seven years and had previously served with the Somerville Police Department.
Bio
- Age 31
- Tour 7 years
- Badge 904
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Rifle; .308 caliber
- Offender Sentenced to 19 months
Most Recent Reflection
View all 152 ReflectionsRest in peace Sergeant Investigator Sowders.
Rabbi Lewis S. Davis
October 26, 2019
Recent LODD Deaths

Police Officer Cesar "Echy" Echaverry
Miami-Dade Police Department, FL
EOW: August 17, 2022

Deputy Sheriff Ned P. Byrd
Wake County Sheriff's Office, NC
EOW: August 11, 2022

Corporal Chad M. Beattie
Washington County Sheriff's Office, PA
EOW: August 10, 2022

Deputy Sheriff Andrew Peery
El Paso County Sheriff's Office, CO
EOW: August 7, 2022

Special Police Officer Maurica Manyan
District of Columbia Public Library Office of Public Safety, DC
EOW: August 4, 2022

Sergeant Jèan-Harold Louis Astree
Fairburn Police Department, GA
EOW: July 28, 2022

Sergeant Matthew Ryan Fishman
Wayne County Sheriff's Office, NC
EOW: August 2, 2022

Supervising Fire Marshal John Joseph "Jack" McCauley
New York City Fire Department - Bureau of Fire Investigation, NY
EOW: May 28, 2022

Police Officer Noah Jacob Shahnavaz
Elwood Police Department, IN
EOW: July 31, 2022