When Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler got a phone call from a Stephenville man saying the gun in evidence with photos of a woman in the grips belonged to his father, he knew he had the rightful owner.
Thats my mother, said Jim Morris of the photos.
The gun was stolen Oct. 6, almost a year after his father passed away.
Fowler had been looking for the owner for about a month after he ran across the weapon in the property room.
Weatherford-Parker County Special Crimes Unit members seized the gun during a drug warrant served in Azle last December.
While in the property room, a womans photograph caught Fowlers eye.
The .45 handgun, manufactured in 1943, was found between a set of mattresses and stamped property of the U.S. Army.
Fowler knew the weapon was used in World War II, and investigated the original owner.
The black-and-white photos taken in the 1940s placed under clear plastic grips were custom fabricated.
Fowler knew the gun meant something special to someone by the way the photos were painstakingly placed beneath the grips.
A press release was distributed seeking information on the owner of the weapon and the identity of the woman in the photograph. News broadcasts and articles were printed about the story, when Morris read one, he instantly knew it was his mother.
He said he believes the photos were taken in Harrison, Neb., outside of his grandparents home.
The gun was stolen from Morris home along with other personal items including two additional guns, tools and a coin collection.
He reported the incident to Stephenville Police, but said by the time February rolled around, he gave up on getting it back.
I just figured it was gone for good, Morris said.
He added the .45 belonged to his dad, James L. Morris, and was the only thing he felt a serious loss for.
It has the most sentimental value of anything I owned, Morris said.
James Morris used the weapon in World War II, in the invasion of France and in the Battle of the Buldge, where he almost lost both of his feet.
His father was the executive officer at the time. As a tribute to him, his company made the clear plastic grips from the windshield of a German bomber which had crashed, placing his wifes photos in the handles.
They thought the world of my dad, Morris said.
He borrowed the gun while serving in the Navy during the Vietnam War.
James Morris passed the gun down to Jim in the early 1990s.
Make sure you take care of it and make sure it goes to your son, his father told him.
As he read the article about seeking the rightful owner of the gun, Morris said he began to cry.
I sure was excited, he said. When you lose something like that ...
Several leads came into the sheriffs office inquiring about the weapon, but Fowler knew the second he answered Morris phone call he had the right guy.
Morris brought photos of his father in uniform and his mother, Velma Cashatt-Morris, to show Fowler Tuesday.
He told Fowler his parents were married in October 1943.
Morris, almost speechless during the presentation, just stared at his mothers photos in the grips.
Another one of Morris weapons was found in Corpus Christie. Fowler said he is certain he has the remaining weapon in the Parker County property room. After the guns are verified, Morris will be able to collect his remaining weapons.
Also during the presentation, Fowler told Morris how the case took on a personal meaning to him.
Im glad it did, Morris said thankfully. I know its just a hunk of steel, but where its been and who carried it ...
I dont care about the other guns, Morris said. This is the one I wanted.
Morris posted a $1,000 reward for the weapon on the Internet and said he would gladly give the reward to Fowler and his investigators.
Fowler declined saying the phone call he received from Morris and the excitement in his voice was worth more than the reward.
Morris plans to keep the weapon in a safety deposit box.
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Thats my mother, said Jim Morris of the photos.
The gun was stolen Oct. 6, almost a year after his father passed away.
Fowler had been looking for the owner for about a month after he ran across the weapon in the property room.
Weatherford-Parker County Special Crimes Unit members seized the gun during a drug warrant served in Azle last December.
While in the property room, a womans photograph caught Fowlers eye.
The .45 handgun, manufactured in 1943, was found between a set of mattresses and stamped property of the U.S. Army.
Fowler knew the weapon was used in World War II, and investigated the original owner.
The black-and-white photos taken in the 1940s placed under clear plastic grips were custom fabricated.
Fowler knew the gun meant something special to someone by the way the photos were painstakingly placed beneath the grips.
A press release was distributed seeking information on the owner of the weapon and the identity of the woman in the photograph. News broadcasts and articles were printed about the story, when Morris read one, he instantly knew it was his mother.
He said he believes the photos were taken in Harrison, Neb., outside of his grandparents home.
The gun was stolen from Morris home along with other personal items including two additional guns, tools and a coin collection.
He reported the incident to Stephenville Police, but said by the time February rolled around, he gave up on getting it back.
I just figured it was gone for good, Morris said.
He added the .45 belonged to his dad, James L. Morris, and was the only thing he felt a serious loss for.
It has the most sentimental value of anything I owned, Morris said.
James Morris used the weapon in World War II, in the invasion of France and in the Battle of the Buldge, where he almost lost both of his feet.
His father was the executive officer at the time. As a tribute to him, his company made the clear plastic grips from the windshield of a German bomber which had crashed, placing his wifes photos in the handles.
They thought the world of my dad, Morris said.
He borrowed the gun while serving in the Navy during the Vietnam War.
James Morris passed the gun down to Jim in the early 1990s.
Make sure you take care of it and make sure it goes to your son, his father told him.
As he read the article about seeking the rightful owner of the gun, Morris said he began to cry.
I sure was excited, he said. When you lose something like that ...
Several leads came into the sheriffs office inquiring about the weapon, but Fowler knew the second he answered Morris phone call he had the right guy.
Morris brought photos of his father in uniform and his mother, Velma Cashatt-Morris, to show Fowler Tuesday.
He told Fowler his parents were married in October 1943.
Morris, almost speechless during the presentation, just stared at his mothers photos in the grips.
Another one of Morris weapons was found in Corpus Christie. Fowler said he is certain he has the remaining weapon in the Parker County property room. After the guns are verified, Morris will be able to collect his remaining weapons.
Also during the presentation, Fowler told Morris how the case took on a personal meaning to him.
Im glad it did, Morris said thankfully. I know its just a hunk of steel, but where its been and who carried it ...
I dont care about the other guns, Morris said. This is the one I wanted.
Morris posted a $1,000 reward for the weapon on the Internet and said he would gladly give the reward to Fowler and his investigators.
Fowler declined saying the phone call he received from Morris and the excitement in his voice was worth more than the reward.
Morris plans to keep the weapon in a safety deposit box.
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