Arlington woman killed outside apartment by man out of jail on bond, cops say
A 63-year-old woman was attacked and stabbed to death at an Arlington apartment complex late Monday, and a suspect who was released from jail on bond last week in a robbery case has been charged with her murder.
The investigation began when Arlington police officers responded to a shots fired call in the 2600 block of Whisper Meadow Lane shortly before midnight on Monday, March 31. They found the woman lying unresponsive in a breezeway, according to police. She later died at a hospital.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the victim as Erma Jean Adeyemo Azeez.
A man told the officers he’d heard the woman scream for help. When he went to investigate, he saw an unknown man with a sharp object attacking her, police said.
The witness pointed his gun at the suspect and threatened to shoot, police said. The attacker left after the man fired a shot into the ground, investigators said.
The Tarrant County Community Supervision and Corrections Department told detectives they’d received an ankle monitor tampering alert for Jacob Arriaga Guerrero, who was wearing the device as a condition of his bond, according to court records. The 23-year-old from Crowley matched the description several witnesses gave of the woman’s attacker, and GPS data put him at the apartment complex at the time of the attack, police said.
Hit-and-run crash with pedestrian and dog
Arlington police began looking for Arriaga Guerrero. On Tuesday morning, April 1, a 911 caller reported a hit-and-run crash about 6:50 a.m. at the intersection of Walnut Hill Circle and Burney Road. The driver of a sport utility vehicle hit a pedestrian walking a dog, collided with another vehicle and left the scene, police said.
The pedestrian and the driver of the vehicle that was hit received minor injuries, but weren’t taken to a hospital. The dog’s leg was injured in the crash, police said.
Police learned the SUV was stolen, and detectives in the Real Time Crime Center were able to find it. Officers responded to the location and arrested the driver, who was identified as Arriaga Guerrero.
Suspect’s charge upgraded to murder
The initial aggravated assault charge against Arriaga Guerrero was upgraded to murder after the medical examiner ruled Adeyemo Azeez’s death a homicide, Arlington police said in an update on Wednesday.
Arlington police said Arriaga Guerrero has declined to speak with their investigators and his motive for the killing is unclear.
Based on the investigation so far, Arlington police believe the attack on Adeyemo Azeez was random. Police said they have not identified any connections between the suspect and victim, and it does not appear that he stole anything from her.
Arriaga Guerrero’s attorney, Ray Hall Jr., told the Star-Telegram over the phone Wednesday that the suspect’s family was concerned about his mental health and has been trying to get him evaluated.
Family mourns ‘Mama Erma’
Adeyemo Azeez’s daughter Kushana Allen told Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV that her mother, known as “Mama Erma,” lived at the apartment complex where she was attacked.
“Mama Erma” was retired after teaching students with disabilities in Arlington ISD for over 20 years.
She was a grandmother and great-grandmother who also worked with patients at a North Texas cancer center and led a food pantry with her church, her daughter said.
“Everyone just adored her,” Allen told WFAA. “She just had a big, big, big heart and she loved people. She made a life of helping people.”
Adeyemo Azeez’ family has set up a GoFundMe to help cover her funeral expenses.
“Mama Erma was a beacon of light, ray of sunshine and always ready to help anyone,” the fundraiser states. “Her passion for building and mentoring people was her life’s joy.”
“She was a pillar in her church, singing in the choir, leader of the hospitality team, altar ministry and other ministries,” her family wrote. “Her smile was comforting and her laugh contagious. It was evident to all who knew her that living for Jesus was the center of her joy.”
The family is making plans for a celebration of life service.
Suspect charged with armed robbery week before killing
According to Tarrant County court records, Arriaga Guerrero was also arrested last week after he was accused of stealing a man’s pickup truck that had a gun inside, robbing a woman at gunpoint at a Walmart in Crowley and then leading officers in a car chase on March 23.
The chase with Arriaga Guerrero ended in the 1200 block of Interstate 35W in Burleson, which is in Johnson County, according to the Crowley police report.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office said it helped identify the suspect, who initially refused to give law enforcement his name. He wasn’t wanted for any crimes in Johnson County, and was immediately turned over to the Crowley Police Department, according to a spokesperson with the Sheriff’s Office.
In the Crowley case, he faces charges of aggravated robbery, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest in a vehicle, unlawful carrying of a weapon and tampering with evidence.
Following that arrest, Arriaga Guerrero was released on $75,000 bond on March 28, according to Tarrant County court records. The conditions of his bond included wearing the GPS ankle monitor.
The owner of the stolen pickup truck, Brian McDaniel, told KDFW-TV, “I hate that it happened to someone else and way worse than what we got. The poor lady lost her life. At least he is off the street for now, hopefully.”
Arriaga Guerrero now also faces charges in Arlington of collision involving injury, animal cruelty and theft of a motor vehicle in connection with the hit-and-run crash, as well as a charge of tampering with an electronic monitoring device.
He was being held in the Tarrant County Jail as of Thursday, April 3, with bond set at $1 million on the murder charge. With new bond amounts set on the additional charges, his total bond is over $1.2 million, according to jail records.
“He shouldn’t have even been out to hurt anybody,” Allen told WFAA. “This could’ve been avoided. I’m hurt, but I’m angry, and I feel like the system failed my mother.”
This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 2:06 PM.
