FORT WORTH -- Police have arrested a man in connection with the death of Hilary Eaton, a Fort Worth woman found shot in her home.
Frank Byrd, 34, was taken into custody Monday on a murder warrant, police said.An investigation determined Byrd and Eaton, 39, had an argument on Jan. 4, and Eaton was shot one time in the head, Sgt. Pedro Criado said. Details of the argument were not released.Byrd was being held Tuesday in the Mansfield Jail. Bail was set at $500,000. Police did not release further details on their relationship.Eaton was found dead Saturday in her home just across the street from an elementary school in the 1300 block of Kings Highway in northeast Fort Worth, near Beach Street and Airport Freeway. A woman told police that her father had asked her to go by the residence because he had not been able to reach his girlfriend by phone.After knocking on the front door, the woman looked in a window and saw Eaton's body on the bedroom floor, according to a preliminary police report. Two acquaintances with the woman kicked open a door, found blood near Eaton's body and called police.News of Eaton's death hit officials at the Union Gospel Mission hard.The 39-year-old mother of three had stayed at the homeless shelter twice in recent years, worked her way into housing, started a business and studied at Tarrant County College."We talked about it in our meeting this morning," Don Shisler, mission president, said Monday. "You just feel sad that it happened."The last time Eaton stayed at the mission was more than a year ago, officials said. She stayed there once with her youngest son and another time on her own.She participated in family and adult programs and had caseworkers while living at the shelter."She was a bubbly person," said Betty McIlroy, mission program director. "She was friendly and did work to try and make her life better."Eaton cleaned houses part time when she stayed at the shelter, so officials were not surprised to learn that she had started her own cleaning business, Krstal Klean Home and Office Kleaning.For those who experience homelessness, starting a business can sometimes be easier than persuading someone to hire them, Shisler said.On her Facebook page, Eaton called her three sons her inspiration."I am very proud of them and almost can't believe with them being my boys that they grew up to be intelligent young men who will definitely leave their marks on the world," Eaton wrote.Union Gospel officials said they hadn't seen Eaton in a while, which isn't unusual, Shisler said. Shortly after clients move into housing, they often return to the mission to visit caseworkers and other clients. Over time, their lives get busy and they lose touch."Every now and then, you run into a client out there and they tell you how their life is," he said. "You always hope they're doing well."Every December, a memorial service is held at the mission for homeless or formerly homeless people who died that year. Mourners gather in the mission's chapel and burn candles in memory of lost friends. This year, a candle will burn for Eaton.Alex Branch, 817-390-7689, Twitter: @albranch1
