The Kilgore Repo Killing

Tragedy, Injustice and Revenge in Texas

On May 11^th, it will have been 26 years since the tragic repossession murder of Kevin Pierce Sr., a father of three. Ambushed by a borrower with multiple convictions, justice was a farce and vigilante revenge too little to extinguish the sorrow that followed.

It was just before 2 a.m. in rural Gregg County when four agents from East Texas Auto Recovery of Longview arrived at the rural home of forty-one-year-old Michael David Mason. Mason’s Ford Taurus had been repossessed recently, but he stole it back from the dealer and was hiding it.

Agents found the car hidden in the open backyard and pinned it by the bumper dragging it out north on Road 2207. Stopping to hook it up to the more secure tow chains, they were returning southbound and passing back in front of Mason’s residence when one of the agents saw Mason in the front yard of the house, with a shotgun in hand.

Two of the agents then heard the shotgun blast and shattering glass as the fired round tore through the driver side of the truck. They quickly realized that twenty-six-year-old agent, Kevin Brian Pierce Sr. had been hit. The shotgun blast tore a hole through his upper torso.

Frantic, the men sped Kevin to the hospital when they encountered a Kilgore, Texas policeman on his way to respond to the reports of gunfire from the incident. Pierce was first transported to a KiIgore hospital before being airlifted to the East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. At 4:48 a.m. on Tuesday, May 11, 1999, Pierce passed away.

Pierce left behind his wife, Janet and three children.

No Real Justice

Unlike so many Texas repossession murders at night where shooters had no charges brought against them, Mason was arrested for murder and held in the Gregg County Jail with a bond set at $75,000. Twice convicted of drug offenses in the past, he failed to make bail and was later indicted for the murder on July 22nd.

Defense Attorney Odis Hill claimed that Pierce and the other agents had left a local bar before going to Mason’s home and were “Highly intoxicated” before arriving there. District Attorney William Jennings confessed that they had been drinking but would not go as far to say that they were drunk.

On February 8, 2000, Mason pleaded guilty to federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and then pleaded guilty to the state’s lesser charge of manslaughter. For the manslaughter charge, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison without the possibility of parole for 6 years. On the firearms possession charge, he was sentenced to an additional 10 years.

Eligible for parole after a mere 6 years. Manslaughter. This didn’t sit well with some.

Revenge

After the trial, Defense attorney Hill provided Gregg County law enforcement a video tape that identified a wrecker truck backing into a mobile home on the Mason property in August of the following year. The mobile home was pushed into the Mason home causing some damage.

Following Pierce’s death, DA Jennings commented that there was a drive by shooting on Mason’s home and that the occupants had received death threats. While no arrests were made, Jennings said that he couldn’t be sure that these incidents were connected to the killing and felt that “innocent persons have been the victim of vigilante justice.

Following decades of recovery agents being murdered and killers being released with little or no charges, it should come of little surprise that some level of vigilante justice was going on here. 

A Mother’s Heartache

Kevin’s murder was felt across the community with several newspaper ads posted demanding justice and mourning the loss of this young man. Below is post from Kevin’s mother in 2000 that exemplifies this.

My Beautiful Son, KEVIN BRIAN PIERCE SR.

WAITNG FOR THE DAY TO SEE HIM AGAIN

May 11, 1999, my world as I had known it came I down around me. Things will never be the same, can never be the same, My beautiful 26 year old son, Kevin was murdered. He has 3 beautiful children who will have to grow up without a father. My son was repossessing a mans car and he came outside and shot him in the back with a high powered rifle. The murderer killed the whole family as far as life as we knew it. I’ve been in shock ever since that terrible day and I know now that I will always be drifting through life only waiting for that beautiful day when I see my baby again in heaven when God takes me. Only with Gods blessed strength and love am I and the rest of our family making it. My one word of advice to anyone is to always tell your loved ones how much you love them because you never know what tomorrow brings. Happiness can vanish in the blink of an eye. I know in my heart my son is heaven with God but I love and miss him so much. We are all Gods children and he knows my pain and the pain of the rest of my family. Time on earth is so short and we have to always keep our eyes on God and he will lead us through.

By Kevin’s Mother – Sun Sep 3, 2000

Source: Bardo.com

Repo History

The first that I became aware of Kevin’s murder was when I started doing research for my book Repo Blood. Us having the same first name and him being murdered on my birthday really struck a chord.

The impact that his murder had on so many around him was evident during all of the news and ads that I read. To this day, his sister maintains a Find a Grave memorial page memorializing him.

East Texas Auto Recovery no longer appears to be in business since about 2017. Of curious note is that there was a Wesley Pierce shown as their manager according to his LinkedIn profile. This is not the name of either of his sons but I reached out to him and have yet to hear back.

This story and many like it are within the pages of my book, “Repo Blood – A Century of Auto Repossession History” which is available by clicking on the image below.

The Kilgore Repo Killing – The Kilgore Repo Killing – The Kilgore Repo Killing – The Kilgore Repo Killing – The Kilgore Repo Killing

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