A MURDER RUNS THROUGH IT
Billy Ray Bowers
1 Nov 1934–25 Sept 1988
Billy Ray Bowers first went missing on or about September 22, 1988.
And while there is every indication that he died shortly after he was last seen, his remains would not be identified for another 11 years, and the story and circumstances of what led to his murder will never be fully told.
Phoenix, Arizona, September 1988
In September of 1988, Billy Ray Bowers, co-owned Canal Motors in Phoenix, Arizona, with a man by the name of Bill Stone. When Billy went missing on September 22, those close to him knew immediately that something was amiss, but despite the $5000 reward they offered, no information was forth coming.
Elephant Butte, New Mexico, September 1989
The fisherman who had gone out angling for fish at McCrea Cove at Elephant Butte Lake in Elephant Butte, New Mexico, got more than he bargained for when, instead of a fish, he snagged a blue tarp wrapped around a dead body.
When the tarp was unfurled and properly examined it was found that body was that of a man who had been shot in the back of his head.
No identification was made at that time, but it was the first step on the long road to discovering what had become of Billy Ray Bowers.
