Arlington

Missing Texas National Guard Soldier Identified as 22-Year-Old Arlington Man

Bishop Evans, 22, graduated from Mansfield High School before joining the National Guard

NBCUniversal, Inc.

Editor's note: The Texas Military Department confirmed Monday that the body of Spc. Bishop Evans has been recovered. Click here to read the latest in this story.

The Texas Military Department is continuing to search for a Texas National Guard soldier from Arlington who went missing on Friday in Maverick County.

According to the Texas Military Department, the missing man has been identified as Texas Army National Guard Spc. Bishop E. Evans.

The search began on Friday morning when Evans went missing while trying to rescue two migrants who appeared to be drowning while crossing the river from Mexico into the U.S., officials said.

A friend told NBC 5 she graduated with Evans from Mansfield High School in 2018.

MISD has a video of Evans accepting his certificate of enlistment in the National Guard as part of the district's military signing day in 2018.

The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation, and the Texas Military Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and the Border Patrol are assisting the search and rescue efforts.

According to officials, dive teams were forced to halt their operations on Saturday evening as the river’s current increased pace, making dive operations difficult.

Search and rescue operations began again early Sunday morning, and three airboats from the Texas Department of Public Safety provided assistance, officials said.

Evans, a 22-year-old field artilleryman from Arlington, is assigned to A Battery, 4-133 Field Artillery Regiment in New Braunfels, Texas.

He joined the Texas Army National Guard in May 2019, and he returned in the fall of 2020 from mobilization to Operation Spartan Shield in Kuwait, officials said.

Contact Us