Grand jury indicts son-in-law accused of killing Fort Worth veterinarian during dispute
.jpg "A Tarrant County grand jury has indicted John Birdwell, 38, of North Richland Hills, on a charge of murder in the August death of Dr. Robert Bearden, a well-known veterinarian in Tarrant County. Birdwell was Bearden’s son-in-law.")
A Tarrant County grand jury has indicted the son-in-law of a Fort Worth veterinarian who was killed in August when the two argued about divorce papers for the doctor’s daughter.
The grand jury indicted John Birdwell, 38, of North Richland Hills, on a charge of murder in the death of Dr. Robert Bearden, a well-known veterinarian in Tarrant County.
The indictment was handed up on Feb. 16.
Birdwell was arrested shortly after the fatal attack on Aug. 11, but he was free Monday on $100,000 bond.
Bearden and his son-in-law argued on the night of Aug. 11 at Woody’s Tavern in Fort Worth about Birdwell not signing divorce papers for the doctor’s daughter.
The argument ended in tragedy, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
As Bearden stood with his hands to his side while talking to his son-in-law, Birdwell grabbed Bearden by the head and head-butted him three times, according to the warrant obtained Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The two fell to the floor as Birdwell moved to get on top of the unconscious veterinarian and tried to hit him again, but several patrons moved quickly and pulled Birdwell off, the warrant states.
Birdwell fled the scene while Bearden was rushed to a hospital, where he died the next day, authorities said.
The warrant written by Fort Worth Detective M. Sones provided these additional details:
The daughter of Dr. Robert Bearden is married to John Birdwell. They are in the process of a divorce and Bearden had been unhappy with Birdwell for stalling the process. The doctor had asked his son-in-law several times to sign the divorce papers.
A witness at Woody’s Tavern told police that the doctor and his son-in-law were arguing about the divorce, but Bearden was not aggressive. At some point, Birdwell violently grabbed Bearden and head-butted him three times, the witness said. The two fell, and Bearden was knocked unconscious and began bleeding from head injuries.
An 18-second video from Woody’s Tavern captured the attack, according to the warrant.
Before Fort Worth police officers arrived, Birdwell started to leave the bar, but another witness tried to stop him from leaving. Birdwell bit the witness on the chest and left the scene, the warrant states.
When they arrived at Woody’s Tavern, at 4744 Bryant Irvin Road, police found Bearden, who was conscious, but he was bleeding from more than one location on his head. He was disoriented and confused, according to the warrant.
Bearden, 66, died at 7:50 p.m. on Aug. 12 at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office website. His cause of death was blunt head trauma and it was a homicide, according to the medical examiner.
Bearden was on the staff at VCA Mercedes Place Animal Hospital in Benbrook, according to the animal hospital’s website.
