TEXARKANA, Texas - A man accused of fatally shooting his wife and wounding his girlfriend in front of a small child has been indicted for murder, aggravated assault and child endangerment by a Bowie County grand jury.
Tremayne Douglas Ware, 38, allegedly pulled a white SUV into the Creekside Apartments on the afternoon of July 29 at the same time his wife, Bengie Cooper, 56, and girlfriend and the girlfriend's 4-year-old daughter were getting out of a different car, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The girlfriend reported that she saw Ware put a gun in his pocket as he got out of the SUV, prompting her to run with her daughter.
The girlfriend told Texarkana Texas Police Department investigators that she shoved her daughter out of the way as Ware approached and "shot her in the back at point blank range."
The bullet reportedly broke the woman's pelvis and left a bullet "dangerously close to her spine," according to the affidavit.
Ware allegedly next shot Cooper in the forehead before getting in his SUV and driving away. Cooper died of her wound two days later.
When police arrived to the apartments at 3333 Nichols Drive about 1:30 p.m. they found Cooper in the parking lot between two cars near the complex laundry room. The girlfriend was found in her apartment suffering from a gunshot wound to the back.
The girlfriend reported to police that she was in a "dating relationship" with Ware and that Cooper is his wife. She reported allegedly receiving threatening messages from Ware.
Witnesses who watched the shooting from balcony apartments allegedly provided corroboration of the girlfriend's account.
Ware was indicted Thursday for murder, aggravated assault, family violence with a deadly weapon involving serious bodily injury and child endangerment in connection with the July shooting. All of the indictments allege Ware committed the crimes while already convicted of two prior felonies.
Ware faces five to 99 years or life in prison if found guilty of either murder or aggravated assault. However, the minimum punishment could increase if a jury finds Ware guilty and finds that he has prior felony convictions.
The grand jury also indicted Ware for evading arrest in a vehicle with two prior felony convictions in connection with an arrest in January by Texarkana, Texas, police. Ware was arrested Jan. 16 for evading and misdemeanor DWI.
Ware is currently being held in the Bowie County jail. Bails on the charges related to the shooting total $2.75 million.