Fake combat veteran gets violent record expunged and murders 4
Chief Tango sent us a link an article in the Dallas News about Erbie Lee Bowser a peacetime veteran who used a program designed to help combat veterans get their lives back on track to get his criminal history wiped clean. To thank society for helping him to straighten his life out, Bowser went on to murder four people, and wound four more the other day.
Toya Smith, 43, and daughter Tasmia Allen, 17, were shot in Smith’s home in the 7100 block of Long Canyon Trail, near West Wheatland Road and Mountain Creek Parkway. Smith’s 14-year-old son, Storm Malone, and a 17-year-old family friend, Dasmine Mitchell, were shot. Both remain hospitalized. Dasmine underwent surgery and remains in critical condition.
Bowser then went to the home of his 47-year-old estranged wife in the 100 block of Galleria Drive in DeSoto, busted down the back door, and tossed in a hand grenade, authorities said. The explosion “blew out the walls and a couple of windows,” said Cpl. Melissa Franks, a DeSoto police spokeswoman, but no one was hurt by the blast.
Police said Bowser then entered the home and shot to death Zina Bowser and her daughter, Neima Williams, 28.
Zina Bowser’s two young boys were also wounded by gunfire before the gunman apparently ran out of bullets. Her 13-year-old son was able to call police.
When police encountered Bowser at the scene, he started mumbling his name, rank and social security number, playing the crazed combat vet part.
Bowser served in the Army from 1991 to 2000. Those who enter Veterans Court must demonstrate that their time in combat caused them to commit whatever crime they are accused of.
[…]
But on Thursday, the Army had no record of him being in combat, which should have made him ineligible for the program.
Of course, the other day when the crime was first broadcast, all of the headlines blasted the fact that he was a veteran, without mentioning that he was also a teacher and a dancer for the Dallas Mavs ManiAACs, which had about as much to do with this heinous crime as his military service in the 90’s.
Category: Veterans Issues
What ISN’T faked is that he is a killer. Hopefully they will bury him this time. Speedily.
GGRrrrrrrrr. . .
Where did he get a grenade? Even if was a flash-bang? He’s playing into the hands of the “crazed PTSD vet” for the gun control crowd.
Thank God he is in Texas, other states have years long appeals for shitstain murderers. Tecas has an express lane.
I read this.
Very sad all the way around.
Veteran’s Court did not appear to do their homework; nor did this man’s sponsor.
Good luck getting that death sentence “expunged,” buddy. Loser.
This is a horrible crime and I am not making light of it at all. But come on a grenade? That’s original!
Dallas follows the same model as Buffalo, NY and the one I work in. It’s a recovery court, and vets are eligible for expungement, but it’s not automatic. Also problematic of recovery courts is the “fake it till you make it” mentality, so this guy could well have given all those involved no reason to believe he was unworthy.
The article and some of the reporting is incorrect, though. Generally speaking, we see troops admitted with the same eligibility requirements as the American Legion (so folks that served from 1990 forward end up eligible, combat service or no). The real hard and fast criteria is the honorable discharge. Combat vets get entrance preference or fastracked, it seems, but other vets with honorable service get in, too.
Also, Dallas, just like ours in Pennsylvania and Buffalo’s model, puts the screening onus on the District Attorney. Even if this guy gamed to get in, it’s not on Veterans Court. Our role begins after a plea deal has been accepted and the DA has determined eligibility.
That makes sense as you explained it, BK. What doesn’t make sense (and perhaps now will change, procedurally) is for the DA’s office to make the determination. That may mean nothing more than a 2nd year law school student looking at a doctored DD 214. Or it may mean that the DA who looked at the separation papers had no clue.
@8.
Good point.
But this man had a sponsor who should have had experience with military history, units and ultimately the system.
RIP to the family,truly a sad case all around,yet another stolen valor douchewad.I really think it is time for some sort of fed agency to be formed where company’s or employer’s can check out someone military record ,fast,not wait 6-8 weeks.So sad.
This: Joe Lynch, a Vietnam War Army veteran who volunteered as Bowser’s mentor for Veterans Court, said Bowser told him he served in the 1990s in Operation Desert Shield in the Persian Gulf, as well as during operations in Haiti and in war-torn Somalia.
“Of all the veterans I’ve met over the years … he would have been the last one I expected this of,” said Lynch. Lynch said Bowser was always “friendly and forthcoming” when discussing his life.
Lynch was snowblind so to speak.
And the reason why:“Once they started to get their divorce, he started acting crazy and talking about how he was going to kill everybody,” said Jamaree Johnson. “He just didn’t want to get divorced. He married a woman with some money and he quit his job right after they got married. She was taking care of him, and she finally got tired of taking care of him.”
Case solved.
Like J.O.D. said in #3, Texas has an “Express Lane” when it comes to the Deat Penalty, they don’t waste time! I just wonder how much spin the snooze media is going to put on his being a Vet and ignore the fact that he never went to the ME?
I’ve found that many in the govt who never served, have no idea how to really determine if a person has served. When I say things like: “Check his DD214” I get a confused look.