Man beat woman to death with rock in Fort Worth’s Near Southside, police say
.jpg "A man accused of beating a woman in Fort Worth’s Near Southside has been arrested on suspicion of murder. The victim died Sunday at a hospital.")
When police found Susan Watkins lying near a trash dumpster in Fort Worth, the rock with which officers believe she was beaten was sitting on her head.
Five days after she was battered in a parking lot, the 50-year-old woman died on Sunday at a hospital.
Several people saw parts of the killing in the city’s Near Southside, according to the affidavit warrant supporting the suspect’s arrest on suspicion of murder. Two of the witnesses saw a man kicking Watkins behind the dumpster in the 900 block of South Jennings Avenue. Another witness saw the man carrying a rock in his hand, and saw him drop the rock when officers arrived and squat in an effort to hide, according to the affidavit.
Fort Worth police allege that the man is Steven Black, 47.
Officers had a description of the suspect that was offered by a witness who, on July 9 about 8:45 a.m., reported to police by telephone that he or she saw a man stomping on a woman’s head. An officer saw a man matching the description a short distance from where Watkins was found.
The officer tried to contact Black, and he ran. The officer eventually caught up to Black and detained him. The officer noticed that Black had what appeared to be bloodstains on the lower portion of his legs.
Black declined to say from where the blood came, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit does not describe a relationship between Watkins and Black or a motive for the killing.
“She was taken from us far too soon,” Watkins’ daughter Briana wrote on a GoFundMe page. “Her life was anything but easy, marked by hardships, personal struggles, and health issues, yet through it all, she had a gift for making others feel seen, valued, and cared for. She was strong, compassionate, and resilient, and she left a lasting impression on everyone who knew her.”
Watkins’ relatives live in Mineral Wells, according to the GoFundMe.
This story was originally published July 16, 2025 at 10:31 PM.
