Texas teens arrested after 18-year-old found dead in Dallas-area lake as family demands answers
The family of an 18-year-old Texas honor student whose body was recovered from a Dallas-area lake is demanding murder charges after police accused two teenagers of concealing evidence instead of reporting his drowning.
Daniel Erving, 18, was last seen around 4:45 p.m. on April 13 after leaving his Rowlett home. His family reported his disappearance after he left with only his cellphone, leaving behind his driver's license, money and other personal belongings, according to the Rowlett Police Department.
Three days later, authorities recovered Erving's body near the Paddle Point area of Lake Ray Hubbard. The Dallas County Medical Examiner later ruled his death an accidental drowning, according to the Dallas Police Department.
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Dallas police told Fox News Digital detectives conducted a "thorough investigation," including witness interviews, evidence collection and coordination with the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office.
"The Medical Examiner determined Daniel Erving's cause of death was drowning, and the manner of death was ruled accidental," the department said.
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Investigators later determined that "two individuals who were present at the lake failed to report the incident and later discarded items belonging to Daniel," Dallas police told Fox News Digital.
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"As a result, investigators obtained arrest warrants for Lucas Roper, 19, and a juvenile suspect. They are each charged with Tampering with Physical Evidence, a third-degree felony. Both suspects have been arrested, and the cases will proceed through the criminal justice system," the statement continued.
Police declined to provide additional details, citing the active criminal investigation and pending prosecution.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Fox 4 Dallas, Erving had gone to Lake Ray Hubbard with Roper and a juvenile on April 13, where the three allegedly jumped into the water from a railroad bridge near Miller Road.
The affidavit reportedly alleges Erving drowned after entering the water, but instead of calling 911, Roper and the juvenile discarded Erving's clothing, deleted messages from his cellphone, threw the phone from a moving vehicle and left the scene.
During a Monday news conference, Erving's family said they believe there are still unanswered questions surrounding the teen's death and argued the case warrants a closer look.
The family's news conference was organized by the Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), a North Texas civil rights organization, which joined Erving's relatives in calling for transparency and urging prosecutors to consider additional criminal charges.
In a news release ahead of the event, NGAN said the family is seeking "transparency, accountability, and a complete investigation" following the recent arrests and called on the Dallas County District Attorney's Office to pursue any additional charges supported by the evidence.
Family attorney Sean Daredia said the Erving family has retained an independent investigative team to examine the circumstances surrounding Daniel's death.
Daredia questioned whether the available evidence is consistent with an accidental drowning.
"If it's an accident, why hide the clothes? Why flee the scene? Why toss Daniel Erving's cell phone out the car?" he said.
He urged the Dallas County District Attorney's Office to present the case to a grand jury and pursue homicide charges if the evidence supports them. Daredia also encouraged anyone with information about what happened at Lake Ray Hubbard to come forward.
Erving's mother, Tameca Erving, questioned why anyone would dispose of her son's belongings if his death had truly been an accident.
"A reasonable-minded person would know if you are not guilty of a crime, why would you throw away his clothes and delete messages and not even call his mother?" she said. "I want justice for my son."
Erving's sister, Mackenzie Erving, described her brother as a "law-abiding" young man with dreams of serving in the military.
"He wanted to serve his country," she said. "When it's a life-or-death situation, you are to render aid. You are to help someone. Someone needs to be held accountable."
NGAN President Dominique Alexander said the arrests represented "a significant step" but argued the investigation should continue wherever the evidence leads.
"We are calling upon the Dallas County District Attorney's Office to follow the evidence wherever it leads," Alexander said in a statement. "If the evidence supports additional charges, then those charges should be pursued. Justice demands nothing less."
Erving's family has also criticized what they describe as a months-long delay between the teen's death and the arrests.
NGAN said Erving's loved ones continue to question why so much time allegedly passed before law enforcement was notified after he disappeared and why no one immediately returned to notify his family that an emergency had occurred. The organization also raised concerns over allegations that Erving's personal belongings were discarded following the incident.
The Rowlett Police Department initially investigated Erving's disappearance after he was reported missing on April 13. Authorities later recovered his body from Lake Ray Hubbard before transferring the death investigation to the Dallas Police Department, which has jurisdiction because the death occurred within the city of Dallas.
"The Dallas Police Department is the lead agency investigating this case, as Daniel's death occurred within the City of Dallas," the Rowlett Police Department told Fox News Digital.
Rowlett police said they are assisting Dallas investigators as requested and "will continue to provide support throughout the investigation."
Because the case remains active, the department said it could not release additional information "as doing so could compromise the integrity of the investigative process."
"The Rowlett Police Department remains committed to fully cooperating with the Dallas Police Department until the investigation is complete," the department said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office and Erving's family attorney for comment.