In a heartfelt and emotional statement, Dallas County Sheriff Mike Knoedl broke his public silence following the sentencing of Travis Posey, the man responsible for the deadly mass shooting at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce on June 21, 2024.
Posey, 45, was sentenced to four life terms without the possibility of parole and an additional 220 years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of capital murder and 11 counts of attempted capital murder. The sentencing, reported by Deltaplex News, marked the legal conclusion of one of the darkest chapters in Fordyce’s history.
In a statement released after the court proceedings, Sheriff Knoedl reflected on the courage shown by victims and their families during the sentencing hearing.
“After 40 years of law enforcement, I witnessed some of the strongest people I’ve ever encountered give victim impact statements about how this has affected them and their families,” Knoedl wrote. “After everything I’ve seen and done in my career, I’m not sure I could’ve stood up in front of the evil that has impacted their world and made a statement.”
Knoedl acknowledged the emotional toll the shooting has had on the community and on himself, admitting there were moments when he questioned if he could have done more. However, he found peace in knowing the shooter was stopped quickly.
“I remind myself we ended the incident in 4 minutes and 40 seconds from the first 911 call,” he said. “As I sat there this morning, I came to peace there was nothing else I could’ve done that day short of being in the store when he unleashed his terror on our town and people.”
While some spoke of seeking closure during the hearing, Sheriff Knoedl offered a sobering perspective drawn from decades of service.
“Having delivered well over 50 death notifications, I’m not sure one can ever get closure,” he said. “I believe a person may get peace and begin to heal. That is my prayer today — that the people affected by this evil person may find some peace.”
Four lives were lost in the tragedy:
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Callie Weems, 23
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Shirley Kay Taylor, 63
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Roy Sturgis, 50
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Ellen Shrum, 81
Eleven others were injured in the attack, which took place on an ordinary summer day and shattered the sense of peace in the close-knit town.
The Mad Butcher store closed temporarily following the shooting but reopened a few weeks later. City officials described the day of the shooting as “the worst in Fordyce history.”
Sheriff Knoedl closed his message with a request for continued community support and prayer.
“Please continue to keep our county and those directly affected in your thoughts and prayers,” he said.
Though justice has been served in the courtroom, Sheriff Knoedl and others acknowledge that healing for the community will take time — and that remembering the victims and the strength of those who survived is vital to moving forward.
