Rodrick Wenze

For years, Sharon Wenze has grappled with the question of who killed her only son and why. Roderick Wenze, 20 years old was shot with an AK47 assault rifle while driving along East Loop 820.  His red Geo Tracker crashed into a metal fence and struck a pillar supporting a carport. He was found, only a few blocks away from his home, slumped in the front seat, a gunshot wound behind his left ear.  

Rodrick graduated from Arlington High School where he played all sports, but basketball was his first love. He was a kind, even-tempered kid who was loyal to his friends and loved his family.  No one knows what happened that night when Rodrick was driving home. The case is unsolved and no arrests were ever made.

Michael McEachern and Katy Nesbit

Kathryn "Katy" Nesbit, 16, a student at West Academy, and Michael McEachern, 17, a junior at Richland High School, were returning from a party when they were fatally shot, their truck stolen and their bodies left beside the road.   Katy was pronounced dead at the scene with a gunshot wound in the neck. Michael died of gunshot wounds to the head and chest at a Fort Worth hospital a few hours later.

Michael was trying to get Katy home before curfew following a party in Fort Worth.  They stopped at a Whataburger.  Mark Edmondson, a15 year old and Derrick Smith, an 18 year old, both gang members got in the car, put a gun to the back of Michael’s head and told him to drive to the 1000 block of Trinity Blvd, behind Bell Helicopter where they were both shot. The 15 year old and 18 year old took the car and left them beside the road.  After taking the car stereo, they left the car in a park close to Michael’s house.

Michael tried to reason his way out of impending death. Kathryn Nesbit questioned why it had to happen. But the teen-agers were slain anyway, Smith said, because a 15-year-old Mark Edmondson feared they would tell on him for robbing them of a car stereo system. "Mike said, `I wish we could work something out. I really wish we could work something out,' “according to a statement from 18-year-old Derrick Smith.

For $260 - the going street price for a stolen car stereo - Mark Edmondson was willing to kill. But the bill came due when a jury convicted the 17-year-old of capital murder.

Edmondson, a former Eastern Hills High School student, received an automatic life sentence because prosecutors waived the death penalty in the case. Certified to stand trial as an adult, Edmondson will be eligible for parole in 40 years.

He could clear the jammed pistol and even aim it, Derrick Smith told a Tarrant County district attorney's investigator, but he couldn't look Kathryn Nesbit in the eye and pull the trigger. With Edmonson, his partner, screaming to shoot as a 400-watt car stereo system hammered away with twin 15-inch speakers, Smith told the investigator, Nesbit's gaze froze him. "She turned around and looked directly into my eyes and I could’t fire. But she turned away and I shot her and she fell like a rag doll.” He didn't’t even know her name.  He referred to her as “the girl”.

Both Edmonson and Smith were convicted and are currently serving capital murder life sentences.

Jessica Jones

A month after graduating with honors from O.D.Wyatt High School Jessica Jones, 18, was found dead, shot in the head, behind a trash bin in the 5000 block of Forest Hill Circle by her worried family.  Their frantic search began when she did not return home from her job at Sack `N Save grocery store, a few blocks from where she lived.

Jessica Elaine Jones, 18, was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Forest Hill where she was a choir soloist and she was a lifelong resident of Forest Hill. But more importantly she was a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter and a friend to all those who knew and loved her. 

Assistant District Attorney Kim Fisher said during the murder trial of 19-years old Cecil Banks that he was upset that Jessica Jones would not date him, so he "shot her in the head and dumped her like a piece of trash," Banks rented a car, abducted the 18-year-old from the Forest Hill grocery where she worked, shot her in the head and "drove around while she sat there bleeding in the car."  

Cecil Banks was convicted of her murder.

Brian Higgins

Brian D. Higgins was a kind, caring, sensitive, and handsome young man who was well-liked by all and loved  by many.  He was a very good little boy to raise - very compliant and obedient - a real pleasure and joy to his family.  He grew into a typical teenager with his many moods and the desire to be like his friends.

Brian had one sister, Renee who was ten years older and whom he adored.  He made friends easily and seemed always to have lots of friends.  He was rather quiet and shy around family, but his friends say he was very outgoing and funny with them.  They praised him for his great sense of humor and tremendous loyalty and kindness, a friend who would always be there for you.  The girls said he was a "perfect gentleman"  Brian was a gentle young man and not aggressive at all and did not make an enemy easily.  He was very athletic from an early age enjoyed sports and played football for Dunanville Hih School.  Brian attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock pledging Phi Delta Theta fraternity.  He and two friends decided to go to Daytona Beach, Florida to take a rest from school and be "beach bums" for several months.  They had just returned to Dallas and were working at the Anatole Hotel while preparing to return to school when he wa murdered.

On May 23, 1994, Brian, 21 and several of his co-workers got off work at midnight and the four guys and one girl went to Snookies' restaurant, Bar and Grill.  The girl had been dating Andrew Morrison, a security guard at the Anatole.  Morrison came to Snookie's looking for his girlfriend who had allegedly stood him up for a date that night. Morrison had been drinking and continued to drink while arguing with the girl. When the restaurant closed at 2:00am, all six walked to the parking lot. The girl confiscated Morrison's car keys because he was too drunk to drive and asked Brian if he would drive Morrison home and then meet the rest of them at Denny's for breakfast. When they reached Morrison's, he shot Brian in the head.  Although no motive is know, it is assumed that Morrison was either angry because his keys had been taken away from him or he was jealous of Brian.  Whatever the reason, it was a "Samaritan" act for a friend that cost him his life.

.............................................................by JoAnn Starkey - Brian's Mother

Paul Rearden

Paul Rearden, a 16-year old Nolan High School senior was murdered  by three three youths who accosted him and his older brother as they walked in their Candleridge neighborhood.  The brothers were together discussing the loss of their other brother, Marc, who had been killed one year ago that day when his car was hit by a train. He was returning to St. Edward's University in Austin where he was a pre-med student. 

The backpack the youths were trying to steal was filled with Halloween decorations.  Paul Rearden died on the proch of a former schoolmate's home where he had staggered for help.  He died in his brothers' arms just as paramedics arrived.

Heather Vann

Heather decided to breakup with her boyfirend and told him it was over.

The following day when she came by her mother's house for lunch he came as well.  He brought a gun and chased her until he caught up with her in the next door neighbor's backyard.  She tried to get into the door but before the neighbors could let her in, her boyfirned fired, shot and killed Heather and turned the gun on himself.

The little girl who loved working with children, family life and shopping with mom will never get an opportunity to raise her own childrn or even see her little brother grow up.  That opportunity was taken from he because of a jealous boyfriend.