Man accused of shooting his mother’s boyfriend at Fort Worth home faces murder charge
A man accused of shooting his mother’s boyfriend in Fort Worth over the weekend has been arrested on suspicion of murder, according to police records.
Trace Hemphill, 31, was arrested Sunday night in connection with the killing of 51-year-old Byron Blackwell.
The homicide occurred Saturday night after Hemphill arrived at his mother’s home in the 5000 block of Northfork Road and asked to come inside to wash his clothes, according to an arrest warrant affidavit released Monday. Hemphill had been kicked out of the house several weeks ago, his mother told police.
Hemphill was allowed in the house to do his laundry and was seen by his maternal grandmother having a “cordial” conversation with his mother and Blackwell before the grandmother went to bed, according to the affidavit.
Blackwell was standing near the doorway to the couple’s bedroom when he was shot in the head, his girlfriend told investigators. She saw her boyfriend fall to the ground and her son standing in the doorway, she said, according to the affidavit.
When Hemphill’s mother asked him why he shot her boyfriend, he told her to be quiet and then left the house on foot, the affidavit states.
Police were called to the homicide scene, in east Fort Worth, about 11:30 p.m. Saturday. Blackwell was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to a police call log, Hemphill returned to his mother’s home about 5 p.m. Sunday. A 911 caller reported that Hemphill was outside the house fighting with his mother. Police responded to the house again, and Hemphill was taken into custody.
The suspect was booked into the Fort Worth Jail about 7 p.m. He was being held on Monday in the Tarrant County Jail with bond set at $200,000.
This story was originally published April 22, 2024 at 3:23 PM.
