TEXARKANA, Texas–A woman has been charged with a felony for allegedly helping a fugitive believed to have faked his own death evade a long list of child sex abuse charges in Bowie County.
Gordon Lemons, 46, hasn’t shown up for court since April 2025, court records show. He was first indicted in October 2024 for aggravated sexual assault of a child involving a 12-year-old girl related to him by marriage.
At the April 2025 hearing, Lemons was reportedly told that additional charges were coming in connection with his alleged misconduct with the young girl.
On May 6, 2025, Lemons allegedly sent an email to a friend claiming that he planned to commit suicide, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Investigators determined that the GPS leg monitor Lemons had been required to wear lost signal on the Red River bridge on Highway 82 in Garland, Ark.
From there, investigators tracked Lemons’ truck, which they determined was returned to his residence in Texarkana, Texas, about an hour after the GPS went dark. A motorcycle owned by Lemons was seen leaving his Texarkana residence about an hour after that, according to a probable cause affidavit.
“The suicide appeared staged and Lemons’ body was never located,” the affidavit said. “A warrant for failure to appear was issued for Lemons.” About a week after the allegedly faked suicide, Lemons’ sister reportedly removed all of his belongings from his residence and took his truck.
In May 2025, Lemons was indicted for additional charges including an additional charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child, two counts of indecency with a child by contact and 11 counts of indecency with a child by exposure.
In late July 2025, a witness allegedly told investigators that Lemons was alive and had staged his own death. Lemons had allegedly wanted to hide from authorities in Mexico but had been unable to cross the border.
Investigators used law enforcement cameras around the state and discovered that Lemons’ motorcycle had been scanned on May 9, 2025, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Investigators suspected Lemons was getting help from a former girlfriend, Thesia Griffin, 44.
Griffin allegedly admitted that she picked up Lemons in south Texas and drove him across the state, passing through Bowie County.
Griffin has been charged with hindering the apprehension of a known felon.
She faces two to ten years in prison if convicted.
Lemons remains a fugitive. He faces up to life in prison if convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child.