Teen slain in Fort Worth robbery was caught in crossfire, documents say

By Sarah Bahari

sbahari@star-telegram.com

FORT WORTH — A former Euless Trinity High School student found shot to death last month in Fort Worth was apparently caught in cross fire during a botched robbery she helped plan, according to arrest warrant affidavits released Monday night.

Claudia Hidic, 17, pretended to be a hostage of two men who had entered a home in the 3000 block of Overton Park West, threatening the occupants with a gun and stealing drugs and an iPhone, the affidavits say.

But she had actually recruited the men to steal money and guns from the home, only to be shot in the head when one of several people inside pulled a pistol to defend themselves and shots were exchanged, the documents say.

The affidavits provide new details in a case that has sparked interest, from the close-knit Tanglewood neighborhood where Hidic was found, to Euless, where she withdrew from high school in February.

Two men are in custody, accused in her slaying: Terrance Crumley, 21, and Curtis Fortenberry, 21, both of Fort Worth.

On June 28, Hidic attempted to recruit a 17-year-old male friend to go with them "to hit a lick at a house," according to the affidavit. Hidic told the teen that if he drove them to a house on Overton Park West she would give him half the money and a gun. The teen declined the offer.

Later that day, Hidic, Fortenberry and Crumley went to the Tanglewood residence, the affidavit stated.

Six people including a 10-year-old girl were in the house, which is across the street from Tanglewood Elementary School, when the three entered and Hidic was killed. At least one witness told police she went to the house to buy methamphetamines.

The robbery went awry when one of the witnesses inside the home got a pistol from a closet to protect himself and others from Fortenberry, who he said was growing angry. The two exchanged gunfire, and Fortenberry was hit in both legs.

Fortenberry told investigators that he believes that during the gunbattle, one of his bullets struck Hidic, according to the affidavit.

When they stopped and saw Hidic lying in the doorway, the affidavits say, everyone fled.

The man who lives in the house arrived shortly after 6 p.m. and said he found Hidic’s body in his back doorway.

He told police that he did not know her, but the affidavits say he received several calls from Hidic on his way home from work in Dallas that day.

The man told police that Hidic had visited his home a few days before the shooting and sold him a gun and gave him two laptops as collateral for $100 he lent her.

He also told police that she returned in ensuing days and asked for $600 more, but he would not give it to her, the affidavits said.

Police have said the man is not a person of interest in the case.

The two men accused in Hidic’s killing have had previous criminal troubles. Fortenberry faces charges of organized retail theft, burglary of a habitation, theft of $50 to $500 and assault with bodily injury involving a family member, Tarrant County jail and court records say.

Crumley was on probation after a conviction of property theft from $50 to $500. A drug possession charge was dismissed.

Staff writer Domingo Ramirez Jr. contributed to this report, which includes material from Star-Telegram archives.