In February 2007, Lee County Arkansas, sheriff Randy Gwathney killed his wife’s family. He also wounded her brother and a police officer who responded to her emergency call. Gathney was caught soon after the shooting and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Investigation Discovery TV show Evil Lives Here: Shadows Of Death: Devil In Disguise follows Lisa Reeves’ story about surviving this ordeal. Do you want to learn more about the case? Great, let’s learn together!

James Oliver Mitchell Jr. was born September 7 1925 in Moro in Lee County, Arkansas. He served in World War II and later became a farmer after completing his military service. After retiring, he became very religious and joined the Haynes Baptist Church. He also began woodworking as a hobby. When he died, he was reading the Bible and singing old hymns in his final hours.

Evelyn Elise Wilson Mitchell was born on August 11, 1927. She had a huge passion for gardening, which was one of the reasons she was so close to her family and friends. James and Evelyn shared a happy 62 year marriage, with two children and two sons in their family. Their second son was Sylvia Mitchell Reeves. Evelyn also loved country music, and it is because of this love that she is famous among her relatives and family members.

Sylvia was born February 14, 1955 in Toledo in Ohio, and she was a member of the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce as well as the Lee County Chamber of Commerce. She owned Digital Memories of Arkansas with her husband Rodger Wayne Reeves who married in 1971. In 2006, Rodger passed away from natural causes at the age of 60. Soon after his death, he and his wife welcomed two children, Lisa Reeves and Travis Reeves.

As a normal married couple, Lisa married Randy Gwathney and was involved in an awful tragedy on February 13, 2007. Their neighbors considered them a normal family and didn’t see what was so wrong with them until February 13, the same night as Valentine’s Day. When Lisa moved in with her mother and father two miles south of Palestine in Lee County, she filed for divorce from Randy.

Randy and his wife Lisa argued about finances and a credit card. He became hostile and lashed out at her after an argument turned violent. Sylvia threatened to call the police if Randy didn’t leave. This happened in the presence of court documents. Lisa fled the scene after Randy began beating Sylvia. She called for help from her phone as she hid in her grandparents’ room. After hearing a gunshot, she used her brother Travis’ home next door as cover and escaped through the window.

Travis Reeves is a man who shares the same name as an actor.

Lisa called 911 at 1:45 am, after being frightened by Travis’ inspection of the scene. A deputy from the Saint Francis County sheriff’s office responded to the incident shortly after. Randy shot Travis multiple times while they were at the scene. Randy shot the first law enforcement officer to arrive at the scene through the windshield of his patrol car. Although this officer suffered severe injuries, Randy escaped before other law enforcement officers arrived at the scene.

Investigators were shocked at the brutality of the crime; in addition to being shot executionally, Sylvia, age 51, had her elderly parents James, 81, and Evelyn, 79, shot dead. Both family members died instantly after receiving each bullet. When they arrived at the scene, two wounded people were discovered— Travis with five bullet wounds that fortunately didn’t kill him. Both Travis and the other wounded person were quickly rushed to a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee — one that specializes in treating gunshot wounds.