Derwyn Lauderdale, 29, was shot and killed on October 10, 2020, at the Seabourne Creek Sports Complex in Rosenberg, Texas. Lauderdale was in his first year as a football coach at Travis High School and had recently married Laricea Lauderdale. He was shot in the abdomen after a confrontation with James Curtis Hamilton, the biological father of Lauderdale’s stepchildren. Lauderdale was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.

Hamilton was arrested at the scene and charged with murder. Prosecutors presented a timeline that included a threatening text Hamilton sent to Lauderdale two days before the shooting and argued the killing was not justified as self-defense. Hamilton was found guilty of felony murder and sentenced to 69 1/2 years in prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

The case drew attention locally for its connections to family conflict and prior violations of protective orders and unlawful possession by Hamilton. Lauderdale’s students, colleagues, and family remember him for his work as a coach and teacher. If anyone knew Lauderdale, saw him at the sports complex on October 10, 2020, or has additional information about that day, please share what is known.