Cove police seek witness in Oct. 2015 shooting

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

Copperas Cove police are seeking the identity of a witness who came forward after the October 28, 2015 shooting in the parking lot of the Copperas Cove Walmart which left a Killeen man dead.

On that day at approximately 3:30 a.m., Copperas Cove Police responded to Walmart for a shooting investigation.

“On the following day, Oct. 29, 2015, a citizen located an important piece of evidence from the Wal-Mart parking lot and turned it over to a Walmart customer service representative,” Sgt. Martin Ruiz stated in a press release on Monday. “The citizen was not identified before the evidence could be turned over to the police and all attempts to locate the citizen have been unsuccessful.”

The individual was described as a white male in his mid to late 50s, possibly driving a tan four-door Chevrolet pickup truck.

“The Copperas Cove Police Department is now requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the person who recovered the evidence,” Ruiz stated. “The citizen is no way believed to be involved in the actual crime.”

If anyone knows the identity of this individual, they should contact Det. Rick Counter with the Copperas Cove Police Department at (254) 547-8222 ext. 6894.

Two were arrested in connection with the shooting not long after the investigation began, 20-year-old Tadarius Lavonte Davis and 21-year-old Terence Len Daniel Jr., both of Killeen. The victim was 24-year-old Thomas Gene Smethers, also of Killeen.