Man accused of stomping uncle to death said he ‘tried to walk up on me,’ warrant says
Bennett “Paul” Gordon Jr. confronted his nephew in the early morning hours of May 2 at their home in southeast Fort Worth, according to a warrant.
The 62-year-old tried to intervene between his 25-year-old nephew and the nephew’s girlfriend. who had been arguing over their baby.
It turned out to be a deadly encounter.
Tyler Walker punched his uncle, who fell backwards and hit his head on the bottom of a refrigerator, according to the warrant obtained Tuesday by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
As he lay on the kitchen floor, Gordon told his nephew, “I got something for your ass,” the warrant says.
Seconds later, Walker repeatedly stomped on his uncle until he saw blood coming from his uncle’s head, according to the warrant.
Walker’s girlfriend told Fort Worth detectives that he became concerned the victim would die, so he began trying to revive him.
Other family members called 911, and Fort Worth police arrived minutes later, arresting Walker.
Gordon, who suffered facial lacerations and fractures, died on May 6 at a Fort Worth hospital. An official at the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office told a Fort Worth detective Gordon’s injuries were consistent with his face being stomped.
Walker was charged with murder on Friday. He also was charged with assaulting a peace officer. Authorities reported that Walker is accused of head butting an officer when he was arrested on May 2.
The warrant written by Detective M. Barron gave this account of the incident:
Walker, his girlfriend, Gordon and two other uncles lived in a home in southeast Fort Worth.
Walker’s girlfriend told detectives she had received a telephone call from her father that she needed to return to Atlanta for a funeral.
On the morning of May 2, she told Walker she wanted to take their month-old child on the trip, but Walker said she was not taking the baby, and an argument ensued.
At some point, Gordon — referred to as “Uncle Paul” — confronted Walker because he had heard the couple arguing.
Walker’s girlfriend told police that Gordon had his armed cocked as if he wanted to punch Walker, according to the warrant.
But Walker got the first blow in and his uncle fell to the floor.
Another of the uncles, John Gordon, said he didn’t see the assault.
“I was asleep when I heard voices,” John Gordon said in a telephone interview with the Star-Telegram. His children and his brother, Paul Gordon, had been living with him and their nephew had recently come to stay with them, he said. “His (Walker’s) girlfriend was there, too. I found Tyler giving CPR to Paul.”
A witness said he saw Walker in the kitchen with blood on his face and chest.
The witness asked Walker what he had done, and Walker responded, “He tried to walk up on me,” according to the warrant.
Fort Worth patrol officers responded to the domestic call shortly before 2 a.m. on May 2.
Initially, Walker fled the home, but he later returned and was arrested.
This story was originally published May 19, 2020 at 1:20 PM.
