Burleson County Sheriff's Office, Texas
End of Watch: Thursday, December 19, 2013
Age: 31
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Badge Number: 904
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 19, 2013
Weapon Used: Rifle; .308 caliber
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 19 months
Sergeant Investigator Adam Sowders was shot and killed as he and seven other officers attempted to serve a no-knock warrant at a 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. He was survived by his mother, three brothers, nieces and nephews.