Testimony in trial of man accused of targeting registered sex offenders showed chaotic scene, fast-paced investigation.

Defendant Charles Broyles is escorted into the courtroom Tuesday by Erath County bailiff Robbie Rudder. Sara Vanden Berge/photos

By SARA VANDEN BERGE

Jurors and a larger-than-normal number of courtroom spectators were riveted Tuesday when the first day of testimony got underway in the trial of Charles Austin Broyles in Erath County’s 266th Judicial District Court.

Broyles is on trial for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly shooting a registered sex offender in the face in December 2023.

In his opening statement, Erath County District Attorney Alan Nash told jurors that it didn’t take long for police to suspect that someone was targeting registered sex offenders living in the area.

Shortly after the shooting, there were two additional reports of a stranger knocking on the front doors of other local sex offenders.

In his opening remarks, Broyles’ attorney Ryan Taylor told jurors that police had “tunnel vision” during the investigation.

“Police never considered anyone else, ever,” he said.  

TESTIMONY BEGINS

The first witness called to the stand Tuesday was Danielle Heizer, a former dispatcher with the Stephenville Police Department.

Heizer testified that while she was employed by the SPD, she received a 9-1-1 call on Dec. 3, 2023 in reference to an emergency at Starlight Mobile Home Park.

She said the caller was Thelma Cowan, the mother of 52-year-old Randell Cowan, who had been shot in the face when he answered the door.

Erath County District Attorney Alan Nash played the 9-1-1 call for jurors.

In the recording, the courtroom heard the frantic voice of Thelma Cowan who initially thought her son had been stabbed.

“Somebody was knocking on our door and my son answered it and they stabbed him,” she told Heizer. “I need some help now!”

SPD Sgt. Trevor Augustus was one of the first officers to arrive on scene.

He told jurors that he saw Cowan “on all fours with a large amount of blood on his face.”

He said neither Cowan or his mother could describe the assailant or if he fled on foot or by car.

Augustus said officers immediately searched for a suspect in the mobile home park, but found no one.

He did, however, discover a serrated kitchen knife and spent shell casing on the front porch.

It was later determined that Cowan answered the door holding the knife and that the shell casing was from the bullet the assailant used to shoot him.

Cowan was transported by air to a Fort Worth hospital and survived the attack.

He is expected to testify this week.

PIECING TOGETHER THE EVIDENCE

SPD Sgt. Eric Hunt told jurors how investigators began piecing the case together.

He said that hours after the shooting, Broyles walked into the Stephenville Police Department wearing a mask and backpack across his chest.

He held up a sign for the security camera that read, “Left Barbara Broyles car at front of Brady Pendleton’s office. Please don’t tow,” then left behind a set of car keys.

A still frame from that footage showing Broyles without the mask, helped police identify him.

 ANOTHER KNOCK...

Stephenville resident Brendon Crank testified that his girlfriend woke him up about 6 a.m. on Dec. 4, 2023 (the day after the shooting) when someone began knocking on the door.

Crank said when he went to answer it, he saw a man he identified in court as Broyles wearing a black hoodie, mask and backpack across his chest, pulling open the screen door.

Crank said Broyles typed out a message on his cell phone asking if anyone else was home.

“I shook my head ‘no’ and he left after that,” Crank said.

“There was just something about this that seemed off, so I went ahead and contacted police,” Crank told jurors.

He said a man who lives in the house with him is a registered sex offender.

BROYLES TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

About 2 p.m. on Dec. 4, Broyles was taken into custody while exiting his mother’s house, officer Paula Mays told jurors.

On his person, police found a pistol and loaded magazine consistent with the shell casing found at the scene of the shooting.

Broyles, who is deaf, has a sign language interpreter facilitating the trial.

If convicted, he faces two to 20 years in prison.

Testimony will resume Wednesday.

(Keep scrolling for more photos from today’s testimony.)

Sgt. Trevor Augustus was one of the first officers to arrive on scene.

Charles Broyles and his attorney Ryan Taylor prepare to break for lunch.

District Attorney Alan Nash showed jurors footage from security cameras at the Stephenville Police Department capturing a masked Broyles holding up a sign for police.

A still frame from that footage showing Broyles without the mask, helped police identify him.