The family of an 18-year-old Texas honor student, Daniel Erving, seeks murder charges following his death near a Dallas-area lake. Authorities accused two teenagers of concealing evidence rather than reporting a drowning. Erving was last seen leaving his home in Rowlett with only his cellphone on April 13. His driver’s license, money, and personal belongings were left behind, according to the Rowlett Police Department.
Three days after his disappearance, authorities found Erving’s body near Paddle Point at Lake Ray Hubbard. The Dallas County Medical Examiner concluded that Erving drowned accidentally, as reported by the Dallas Police Department.
Dallas police conducted a thorough investigation. They held witness interviews, collected evidence, and coordinated with the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office. The examiner ruled Erving’s death as an accidental drowning.
An investigation revealed that two people at the lake did not report the incident. They discarded items belonging to Erving. As a result, police obtained arrest warrants for Lucas Roper, 19, and a juvenile suspect. Both are charged with tampering with physical evidence, a third-degree felony.
The suspects face charges, but the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are not providing additional details due to the active investigation and pending prosecution.
An arrest affidavit from Fox 4 Dallas states Erving went to Lake Ray Hubbard with Roper and a juvenile. They allegedly jumped from a railroad bridge into the water. Erving drowned, but Roper and the juvenile failed to call 911. They discarded his clothing, deleted messages from his phone, threw it from a moving vehicle, and left the scene.
At a news conference, Erving’s family expressed concerns over unanswered questions about his death. The Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), a North Texas civil rights group, organized the event. The family and NGAN call for transparency and urge prosecutors to consider additional charges.
Family attorney Sean Daredia stated that an independent investigative team is examining the circumstances. Daredia questions if the evidence aligns with an accidental drowning. He urged the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office to present the case to a grand jury and pursue homicide charges if justified.
Tameca Erving, Daniel’s mother, questioned the disposal of her son’s belongings and the lack of immediate family notification. She seeks justice for her son. Mackenzie Erving, Daniel’s sister, described him as a law-abiding individual with military aspirations. She emphasized the need for accountability in life-or-death situations.
NGAN President Dominique Alexander mentioned the importance of allowing the investigation to continue. If evidence for additional charges exists, they should be pursued.
Erving’s family criticized delays between his death and the arrests. NGAN raised concerns about the time taken to notify law enforcement and inform the family. The Rowlett Police Department initially investigated the disappearance when Erving was reported missing.
Authorities later recovered his body and transferred the death investigation to the Dallas Police Department. This agency took over due to jurisdictional boundaries since the death occurred in Dallas.
The Rowlett Police Department cooperates with Dallas investigators as needed. They stressed the need to protect the integrity of the investigative process by withholding certain details. Cooperation with the Dallas Police Department will continue until the investigation concludes.
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