The fight for accountability in one Black teenager’s drowning death is starting to show results. Two white teenagers are now facing charges in the investigation.
Lucas Roper, 19, and a 16-year-old were arrested last week in Rowlett, Texas.
The two are facing tampering with evidence charges in connection with the death of 18-year-old Daniel Erving, WFAA reports.
What Happened?
The Rowlett Police Department said Erving disappeared on April 13 around 4:45 p.m. from his home on Woodlands Trail. His family told police his behavior was “very out of character.”
The teenager’s mother, Tamiko Erving, told investigators he was getting picked up to go fishing with his friends.
Erving left his home with his cellphone. Investigators said he didn’t take his driver’s license, money, or personal belongings. He also does not have a car.
Police confirmed Erving’s body from Lake Ray Hubbard on April 17, four days after he disappeared.
According to the affidavit obtained by CBS News, Roper, Erving, and the 16-year-old jumped into the lake from a bridge, and the Black teen did not resurface.
The affidavit claimed that Roper and the other teen threw Erving’s clothes above the water before driving away in Roper’s vehicle. It also claims the pair threw Erving’s cellphone out.
Demands for Transparency
Investigators fell silent for several months. Erving’s family, along with community advocacy groups, held a news conference in late April to demand answers.
“This case represents a complete breakdown in urgency, accountability, and equal justice. A young Black student goes missing, and instead of immediate action, his family is met with delay and dismissal,” Dominique Alexander, president of the Next Generation Action Network, told reporters then.
“Then we learn that individuals were present when he died, failed to call for help, failed to report it, and are still not in custody.”
Atlanta Black Star requested the police reports for the case to confirm Erving’s friends didn’t call for help.
Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux told CBS News in June his department was now looking into the teenager’s death.
“We recognize that investigations must be guided by evidence and the law. At the same time, accountability requires that every fact be fully investigated and every potential violation of the law be carefully evaluated,” he said.
Authorities confirmed Roper admitted to driving off and ordering the other teenager to toss Erving’s phone. In a separate interview, CBS News reported the other teenager told police Roper himself threw out Erving’s clothes.
Roper also allegedly deleted the call logs and text messages from Erving’s cellphone.
“The two suspects let Daniel Erving…sit on the bottom of Lake Ray Hubbard for four days,” the family’s attorney Sean Dorado told FOX 4 News. “They went to school. They lived their lives. If it’s an accident, why hide the clothes? Why flee the scene? Why toss Daniel Erving’s cellphone off the car?”
Family Reacts to Arrest
Erving’s sister took to social media, after Roper was arrested, indicating that more people were involved.
“An arrest has finally been made in connection with my brother Daniel ‘Mike’ Erving’s case – but ONLY ONE of the suspects has been taken into custody,” Lee Cinco, Erving’s sister, said.
During a news conference Monday in Dallas, Erving’s family expressed their frustration to reporters.
“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?” Tamiko Erving said, according to Fox 4 News. “I want justice for my son.”
The Erving family said Daniel was a skilled, healthy swimmer who was comfortable in the water. Dorado insisted the narrative of an accidental drowning does not add up.
“We won’t accept tampering charges,” he said, reportedly urging prosecutors to add murder charges. “Take the evidence to a grand jury and bring the appropriate charges.”
Jail records confirmed that Roper posted his $10,000 bond over the weekend.
Atlanta Black Star found Roper on Instagram. Our reporter reached out to him for comment but hasn’t heard back.
“After three months, this is ALL that has been done. And now that this case is gaining attention and going viral, it suddenly seems like the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department and Rowlett Police Department are starting to make moves. This is unacceptable,” Cinco said on Facebook.
Police Respond
Atlanta Black Star reached out to the Rowlett Police Department and received the following statement:
“Because this is an active and ongoing investigation, we are unable to release information at this time, as doing so could compromise the integrity of the investigative process. For updates or questions regarding Daniel’s case, we respectfully refer all inquiries to the Dallas Police Department.
The Rowlett Police Department remains committed to fully cooperating with the Dallas Police Department until the investigation is complete.”
