Eddie Ray Hill Jr. Shooting, Death Obituary: Family And Friends Mourns Tragic Loss
A devastating shooting at a factory near Texarkana has left two men dead and a woman critically injured after what authorities described as a domestic dispute turned deadly Tuesday morning at the Texarkana Aluminum facility in Nash, Texas.
According to the Nash Police Department, officers responded around 6:30 a.m. to reports of gunfire at the plant on Alumax Drive. When police arrived, they discovered two men dead and a woman suffering from serious gunshot injuries in the parking lot.
Investigators identified the shooter as 40-year-old Wendell Lane Champion Jr. of Hope, Arkansas. Authorities said the incident began during a confrontation involving Champion and his wife, Candis Jolene Champion, 37, who worked at the facility.
Police say 48-year-old Eddie Ray Hill Jr. of Texarkana, Texas, attempted to intervene after arriving at work and witnessing the dispute. According to investigators, Hill tried to stop the confrontation before he was fatally shot. Authorities say Champion then turned the gun on his wife, critically injuring her, before taking his own life.
Candis Champion was transported to a hospital in Texarkana, where officials said she remains in stable condition. Additional details regarding her injuries have not yet been released publicly.
The tragedy has deeply shaken employees at the plant and the wider Texarkana-area community, where many are mourning the loss of Eddie Ray Hill Jr., who authorities say was killed while trying to help during a violent and chaotic situation.
Investigators also confirmed that Champion had previously been convicted of first-degree murder in Harris County, Texas, in connection with a 2007 robbery and shooting that resulted in the death of security officer Luis A. Ayala. Public records indicate he was released on parole in 2025.
Authorities emphasized that there is no continuing threat to the public, and police are not searching for additional suspects. The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing as officials continue reviewing evidence and interviewing witnesses.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the Nash Police Department expressed condolences to the victims’ families and to employees of Texarkana Aluminum affected by the traumatic events.