Wife says husband fatally shot man after struggle inside Arlington garage

The wife of a man who fatally shot a 24-year-old man at his home Wednesday night, then died of a medical condition, told investigators that the younger man had been struggling with and threatening to shoot her husband.

Margarita Stephenson told Arlington police that Destrey Q. Tinner — whom she knew as “D,” a high school classmate of her daughter’s from years ago — had approached the couple as they sat outside their garage. He soon asked to speak to David Stephenson alone.

Margarita Stephenson said she had excused herself and gone inside when she heard her husband yelling her name from the garage.

“When Margarita returned to the garage, she saw David struggling with ‘D,’” according to a search warrant affidavit summarizing the wife’s statement. “Margarita saw a small black pistol in ‘D’s’ hand and heard him threaten to shoot David.”

Margarita Stephenson told police that she tried to pull Tinner off her husband but couldn’t. She ran inside to retrieve the couple’s .22-caliber pistol to defend her husband, she said, but when she returned, Tinner struggled with her and grabbed her arms.

“Margarita said at some point she was taken to the ground during this struggle, but was able to throw the .22-caliber pistol over to David,” according to the affidavit, written by Detective C. Blank.

David Stephenson, 54, fired at Tinner, who then slowly left the garage, she told police.

“Margarita said she didn’t know what the fight between ‘D’ and David could have been about,” the affidavit says.

Tiara Ellis Richard, an Arlington police spokeswoman, said Friday that interviews with others revealed that the Stephensons knew Tinner much better than Margarita Stephenson indicated to investigators.

“Everyone has said they all knew each other and were very close,” Richard said.

Police still don’t know the reason for the altercation, she said.

“That is still not clear and may never be truly understood with both men deceased,” she said.

Police were initially called to the home on a burglary report.

They found Tinner sitting down in an adjacent yard with a gunshot wound in his chest.

“Tinner was awake but not alert enough to answer officers’ questions about how he had suffered his injury,” the affidavit says.

Police were securing the scene when David Stephenson went into medical distress. Both men were taken to an Arlington hospital and died a short time later.

Tinner’s death was ruled a homicide. David Stephenson’s was ruled natural, caused by sudden cardiac death due to heart disease.

The affidavit says police smelled “a strong scent of fresh marijuana” inside the garage and home and spotted multiple glass jars on a shelf inside the garage that contained a leafy green substance.

Margarita Stephenson would not consent to a search of the home, leading investigators to obtain a warrant. The affidavit, obtained Friday by the Star-Telegram, shows that police were seeking, among other things, ammunition, spent shell casings, blood evidence and marijuana or associated containers.

Police did not release a list of what officers actually seized.

Richard said police do not expect to seek charges against Margarita Stephenson.

This story was originally published July 10, 2015 at 7:11 PM with the headline "Wife says husband fatally shot man after struggle inside Arlington garage."