Another arrest in fatal shooting of Mansfield man in his home

A Killeen man was in custody Thursday accused in the July 26 slaying of a man at a home on Aspen Court.

Three adults now have been arrested in the killing of 21-year-old Ethan Walker, and at least four juveniles have been detained, police said Thursday.

More arrests are possible, police said.

Detectives believe everyone involved was young and robbery was a motive.

“Not everyone knew each other,” police Sgt. Mike Midkiff said Thursday in a telephone interview.

Latharian Devante Merritt, 22, was booked into the Mansfield Jail Wednesday. He remained in the jail Thursday in lieu of $845,000 bail.

Merritt was booked into jail on charges of capital murder, attempted capital murder and two counts of aggravated robbery.

He also was being held on a probation violation out of Bell County, and a warrant for theft of a firearm in Killeen, according to jail records.

Police arrested Ariana Bharrat, 20, of Arlington on July 27 hours after the shooting, according to Mansfield Jail records. Bharrat faces charges of capital murder, attempted capital murder and aggravated robbery.

She also was being held on unrelated charges of theft, a traffic violation (speeding) and alcohol consumption by a minor. She remained in jail Thursday in lieu of $703,000 bail.

Megan Raquel Holt, 19, of Arlington was arrested July 28 and is in the Mansfield Jail Thursday in lieu of $700,000 bail. Holt was booked on charges of capital murder, attempted capital murder and aggravated robbery, according to jail records.

Holt is accused of committing the crimes while she was free on $750 bail related to an Arlington drug possession charge in January, according to Tarrant County criminal court records. She was charged with possession of marijuana and has a Sept. 22 court hearing, records show.

A 16-year-old female also was taken into custody last week, police said. She faces charges of capital murder, attempted capital murder and two counts of aggravated robbery.

Initially, police had said they were looking for information on two “persons of interest,” who were at the home on Aspen Court when Walker was killed, according to a news release. They are described as black females and were seen driving a red, four-door car.

Police declined to comment Thursday on whether those females were in custody.

The Tarrant County medical examiner’s office said Walker died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen and ruled his death a homicide.

Police were dispatched to the residence on Aspen Court at 10:40 p.m. July 26 on a shooting call. Two wounded men were found at the scene and taken to a Fort Worth hospital.

Walker died at 11:29 p.m. at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, and the other man was treated and released, police said.

The Tarrant County medical examiner’s office said Walker died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen and ruled his death a homicide.

This story was originally published August 4, 2016 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Another arrest in fatal shooting of Mansfield man in his home."