Eddie Ray Hill Jr. Obituary, Death – A tragic shooting at a factory parking lot in the Texarkana area left two men dead and a woman critically injured Tuesday morning after authorities say a domestic dispute turned deadly outside Texarkana Aluminum in Nash, Texas.
According to police, the incident happened around 6:30 a.m. at the facility located on Alumax Drive. Officers with the Nash Police Department responded to reports of gunfire and arrived to find two men deceased and a woman suffering from serious injuries in the parking area.
Investigators identified the suspected shooter as Wendell Lane Champion Jr., 40, of Hope, Arkansas. Authorities said the violence began during a confrontation involving Champion and his wife, Candis Jolene Champion, 37, who is employed at the plant.
Police say Eddie Ray Hill Jr., 48, of Texarkana, Texas, attempted to intervene after arriving for work and seeing the dispute unfold. Hill was reportedly shot and killed while trying to stop the confrontation.
After shooting Hill, investigators say Champion then turned the weapon on his wife, critically injuring her before taking his own life at the scene.
Candis Champion was transported to a hospital in Texarkana for emergency treatment. Authorities later confirmed she was in stable condition, although officials have not released additional details regarding her injuries.
The shooting has shocked employees and residents throughout the Texarkana area, with many expressing sorrow for the victims and their families. Friends and community members have shared condolences online, remembering Eddie Ray Hill Jr. for his courageous attempt to protect another person during the violent incident.
Public records show Champion previously served prison time following a first-degree murder conviction in Harris County, Texas, in 2010. Authorities said he had been released on parole in 2025 after serving time in connection to a 2007 Houston robbery and fatal shooting involving security officer Luis A. Ayala.
Law enforcement officials stated there is no ongoing threat to the public, and investigators are not searching for additional suspects. The Nash Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
In a statement following the tragedy, authorities expressed sympathy to the victims’ loved ones and to employees at Texarkana Aluminum affected by the devastating event.