Under a gloomy sky and with rain coming down, red balloon were sent toward heaven in honor of Rockdale native Michael McDowell, who was killed in September of 2019 in a stabbing at an apartment complex in the city.
“We will keep fighting for you. We want justice served,” said Bracy Lovelady, a cousin of McDowell and a reverend now living in Humble. “This is to commemorate his life. We hope for justice for his being tak-David Rodriguez Jr. was later charged with murder and is currently awaiting trial in the Milam County Jail in Cameron. There is no trial date set.
McDowell’s mother, Renita Adwabour is patiently awaiting that date.
“They knew me at Rockdale High School and they will know me in Milam County,” she said before the memorial balloon launch.
She said she would be at the trial every day and “they will know my face.”
McDowell, who was 25 at the time of the fatal stabbing, was at an apartment complex in the 1800 block of West Cameron (US 79), according to police reports. He and another man, now believed to be Rodriguez got into an argument that later escalated into a physical fight, reports said.
“When the officers arrived on the scene, they noticed a man on the ground bleeding and immediately tried to stop the bleeding, which they weren’t able to do,” said then-Lt. Stephen Goodrich. “Sgt. (Michael) Hubnik had no gloves on at the time and used his bare hands to hold the wound shut.”
Witnesses said that the man who stabbed McDowell fled the scene, but the suspect was captured the next day outside of Rockdale off US 79.
“I found him walking eastbound toward Milano on Highway 79 and took him into custody with no issues at 11:30 a.m. Friday,” Goodrich said.
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