New information leads to arrest of suspects in 2003 Arlington murder, police say
Two Fort Worth men have been arrested in connection with a fatal 2003 east Arlington shooting after a witness came forward with more information, police said in a news release Saturday.
Raymond Malone, 55, and John Wayne Biddle, 52, are being held in the Tarrant County Jail on $100,000 bonds. They each face a murder charge, according to court records.
According to Arlington police, Terrick Rutherford got into a fight at a nightclub in the 700 block of North Watson Road on June 23, 2003. Nightclub security stopped the fight, and Rutherford got into his vehicle and left.
The 26-year-old was approaching the traffic light at Six Flags Drive when several gunshots rang out. Rutherford was hit, and crashed into another car at the intersection, police said. Officers found Rutherford unresponsive in his vehicle, which had multiple bullet holes in it.
Rutherford died a short time later at a hospital. According to police, Malone and Biddle were known gang members, and detectives at the time identified them as possible suspects in the shooting. They were arrested on one charge of engaging in organized criminal activity as there was not enough evidence to charge them with murder, but a grand jury declined to indict them.
A few weeks ago, a witness came forward and gave homicide detectives “detailed information that was consistent with the original investigation into the shooting,” police said in the news release. The information put Malone and Biddle at the crime scene.
The detectives consulted with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office and obtained murder warrants for both men. Biddle was arrested July 31 in Fort Worth by members of the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force, police said. Malone was arrested in Fort Worth the next day.
Arlington Police Chief Al Jones said he’s proud of the homicide detectives for following up on the new leads.
“When someone does the right thing and comes forward with information, that can be the difference between solving a case and it remaining unsolved,” Jones said in the release. “I’m grateful these new details came to light.”
