DE KALB, Texas — A 63-year-old De Kalb man who was a defendant in an ongoing trial relating to child sex abuse charges fatally shot himself, according to the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office says that Randal Hawkins shot himself with a 9mm handgun while in the driver’s seat of his parked vehicle in a private drive on County Road 3202 shortly before 7:30 a.m. on April 20. The Texas Department of Public Safety and paramedics were called to the scene via a 911 call related to medical issues.
The determination was made by the sheriff’s office’s criminal investigation division, which responded to the scene to investigate the death. According to the sheriff’s office, Hawkins shot himself in the chest.
Hawkins’ trial at the New Boston Courthouse was scheduled to resume at 9:00 a.m. on April 20. Hawkins was charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 years of age (two counts), sexual assault of a child, and indecency with a child by sexual contact.
