Murder Mystery: Oregon man attending family reunion in Tacoma attacked, dies days later
KILLERS WANTED IN LAKEWOOD -- An Oregon man attending a family reunion in Tacoma dies days after detectives say he was attacked by several suspects. Now, Lakewood Police need your help putting the pieces together to figure out who's behind Tony Bowers' murder. It's in the family backyard with her aviary in sight that Sharon Mrokowski finds peace. It just brings back everything, because it's there where this mother last saw her son. “Sitting right here. Good memory. I’ll always have that. Sitting on the bench and looking at the birds and talking,” Sharon says.
Lakewood Police say on July 18th Sharon’s son, Tony Bowers, was attacked by four men after leaving his family reunion to get food. They think it happened somewhere between the Walmart on Bridgeport Way and Manitou Park on 66th Street in Tacoma. Sharon says after the assault her son went back to the party and acted like nothing was wrong. She says no one there could tell he was hurt. “He's kind of a private guy. He's macho, didn't want to say anything, you know, but on the way back driving he thought maybe it was his medicine, getting headaches and getting dizzy.” Days later in Oregon, Sharon says her son was rushed to the hospital and had multiple surgeries to remove multiple brain clots. His fiancé still had lots of hope,” Sharon said. “She worked at the hospital, hoped it would turn around, we kind of knew, it was really serious.” Soon after, Sharon says her son died. Now, Lakewood Police need your help finding Tony's attackers. “We're not sure what happened to Tony in that hour and a half that he may have been gone from Manitou Park to Walmart to back,” says Lakewood Police Lt. Chris Lawler. “Did he stop anywhere? Did he get involved in a fight? We really just don't know those details, but we're hoping the public would either remember seeing his vehicle parked somewhere, saw him at a convenience store, maybe saw a fight, but we have nothing that was reported, so we're really wondering what happened to Tony." His family needs answers as well, so from her home in Canby, Oregon Tony's mom is doing all she can do, pleading to the public to share anything they know about the attack. “It would mean a lot to all of us to know. It’s not going to bring him back, I know that nothing’s going to, but just to know.” If you know anything about Tony's attackers or if you think you saw his teal 2003 BMW or anything on July 18th in the area between Manitou Park and the Lakewood Walmart just before 5pmthat can help solve his murder, call an anonymous tip into: CRIME STOPPERS: 1-800-222-TIPS You must call the Crime Stoppers hotline with your tip to be eligible to receive a cash reward for information leading to a fugitive’s arrest. CLICK HERE for information on how to TEXT A TIP to Crime Stoppers.