Bond denied for murder suspect in shooting death

PLANO, TX – Bond was denied for a Texas man accused of fatally shooting his live-in girlfriend at a Frenchtown Township campground where the two had been living.

Austin Taylor Lucas, 28, of Plano, Texas, is being held in the Monroe County jail on charges of open murder and felony firearm. A Monroe County magistrate arraigned the defendant Saturday. A formal arraignment in First District Court is expected today.

Authorities allege that Lucas shot and killed Joy Dawn Boswell, 35, while she was inside a car at the Shady Creek RV and Park Resort (also known as Camp Lord Willing) located at 1600 Stumpmier Road. Bowell suffered a gunshot wound to the face and died at Beaumont Hospital.

Lucas was located walking along Steiner Rd. on the night of the shooting after emergency crews responded to the scene. Lucas was reported to be covered in blood. It was not revealed if a gun had been located or confiscated by police.

Lucas and Boswell were living at the resort but both come from other states. Lucas apparently had a job in the Monroe County vicinity. Bowell, a mother of two older children, was born in Oklahoma, according to a Facebook post by a person identifying himself as her brother.

“Today is a sad dark day for me,” Shane Phillips wrote on the Facebook page. “She was the only person I couldn’t help from her pain…God be with me tonight.”

He described his sister as having a difficult life filled with drug abuse, divorce and moving around the country.

The Michigan State Police of the Monroe post is investigating the incident that was described as a domestic violence case. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has assisted. Detective Sgt. Michael Peterson is in charge of the case.