Texas Worker Eddie Ray Hill Jr. Fatally Shot While Protecting Coworker Candis Champion From Husband’s Attack

A Texarkana Aluminum employee, Eddie Ray Hill Jr., 48, was fatally shot on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, while attempting to protect his coworker, Candis Jolene Champion, from her husband during a domestic confrontation in the plant’s parking lot in Nash, Texas.

Hill, a longtime employee of the facility, arrived at work around 6:37 a.m., expecting a normal day. Instead, he was confronted with a violent situation that would cost him his life. Investigators say 40-year-old Wendell Lane Champion Jr., of Hope, Arkansas, arrived at the plant to confront his wife, 37-year-old Candis Champion, who worked there.

What began as an argument quickly escalated into a deadly encounter. Hill, seeing someone in danger, stepped in to intervene. Authorities say that choice ultimately led to his death.

“Eddie saw a coworker in danger and made the courageous decision to protect her,” said a Nash Police Department spokesperson. “His actions were heroic, and the tragedy of his loss will be felt by the entire community.”

Wendell Champion allegedly pulled a firearm and shot Hill in the parking lot. He then shot his wife, critically injuring her, before turning the weapon on himself. First responders pronounced both Hill and Champion dead at the scene. Candis Champion was transported to a hospital in Texarkana, where she is listed in stable condition.

Employees arriving for their shifts that morning witnessed the horror unfold in seconds, leaving the workplace and community in shock. Texarkana Aluminum later brought in crisis counselors to support employees coping with the trauma.

Further details revealed that Wendell Champion had a violent criminal history. Public records show he was previously convicted in a homicide case for the killing of a Houston-area security officer during a robbery. Originally indicted for capital murder in 2007, he later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of first-degree murder in 2010 and received a 30-year prison sentence. Champion was released on parole in 2025.

The Nash Police Department confirmed there are no other suspects and no ongoing threat to the public. The investigation into the triple shooting remains active.

Hill’s coworkers and the local community continue to mourn his loss, recognizing the selfless act that cost him his life. His decision to protect another person stands as a testament to his courage and character.