Luella Merrett Elementary School assistant principal killed in Benbrook shooting
The assistant principal of Luella Merrett Elementary School in Fort Worth, Lindsay Velasquez, was fatally shot Friday at her home in Benbrook. She is remembered for her hard work and positive energy as an educator, and her love for her three children.
Her husband is accused of shooting her in what was reported to police as an accident. He was arrested and faces a manslaughter charge, Benbrook police said.
Lindsay Velasquez, 42, died from a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Benbrook police and EMS responded about 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 17, to the couple’s home in the 1000 block of Sproles Drive after a report that someone had been accidentally shot in the face, police said in a statement.
When officers arrived, they found Lindsay Velasquez unconscious with an apparent gunshot wound. She was taken to Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth, where she was pronounced dead, police said.
Alberto Velasquez, 39, was arrested in connection to his wife’s death and faces a manslaughter charge, according to Tarrant County jail records. He was released from jail Tuesday on $35,000 bond. Alberto Velasquez is a Fort Worth ISD teacher. His appointed defense attorney declined to comment on the case.
Police did not release additional details about what led to the shooting or the relationship between the suspect and the victim, but property records confirm they are a married couple. The investigation is ongoing, police said.
According to the school’s website, Lindsay Velasquez was in her second year as the assistant principal of Luella Merrett Elementary School, which is part of Fort Worth ISD.
“We are so happy to have her positive energy on our campus,” her profile on the school’s website stated. “She works hard for our families, our teachers, and our students. She has continued the program we started last year with recognizing our outstanding students and those with perfect attendance every six weeks as well as our weekly drawings for our Super Bees of the Week.”
A GoFundMe has been organized for funeral and memorial expenses and to help provide for Lindsay Velasquez’s three daughters.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the unexpected, devastating, and heartbreaking loss of Lindsay Velasquez,” the GoFundMe description says. “Lindsay was so many things to so many people... a daughter, wife, sister, aunt, and a dear friend, but above all else, she was a devoted and loving mother to her three beautiful daughters, who were the very center of her world. They were her purpose, her pride, and her greatest joy.
“Lindsay had a rare and incredibly special way of making people feel truly seen and cared for,” the GoFundMe post says. “Whether through her warm laughter, her quiet strength, or the simple ways that she showed up for others, she left a lasting imprint on every life she touched. She loved deeply and loyally, if you were loved by Lindsay, you were loved forever and without judgment or qualifications.”
In a statement on Monday, Fort Worth ISD said that district officials are “aware of a tragic off-campus incident involving two district employees.”
“We are deeply saddened by this loss, and our thoughts are with the family and all those impacted,” the district’s statement says. “Counselors and support staff are being made available to students and staff at impacted campuses. Out of respect for the family and the ongoing investigation, the district will not release additional details at this time.”
This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 2:18 PM.