Texas man accused of shooting to death roommate, leaving body in apartment for days
A White Settlement man is accused of fatally shooting his roommate during an argument and then leaving his body in their apartment for several days before calling authorities, White Settlement police said Monday.
White Settlement firefighters and paramedics discovered the body of Erik Fernandez, 43, Friday night in an apartment. White Settlement is adjacent to Fort Worth on the west side of the city.
Fernandez died from gunshot wounds to his head and neck, according to a ruling by the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled a homicide.
White Settlement police responded to a report of a deceased person shortly after 7 p.m. Friday in the 1200 block of Kimbrough St.
Jeffery Cory, 40, of White Settlement, called White Settlement police Friday night to report he had found his roommate dead in a bedroom.
Initially, Cory told White Settlement police he had not seen Fernandez or his vehicle for several days. On Friday night, Cory said he arrived home from work and noticed Fernandez’s bedroom door closed and his dogs scratching at the door.
“Cory told officers he opened the door and found a deceased person and called 911,” White Settlement police Sgt. Michelle LeNoir said in a Monday news release.
Cory was arrested when he admitted to police that he had shot his roommate days before he called, LeNoir said.
“Whether or not the body remained in the residence between the time of death and its discovery is still under investigation,” LeNoir said in a Monday email. “We are waiting on the full autopsy report from the medical examiner’s office to determine the exact date of death.”
LeNoir said she did not have information about the reason for the argument.
This story was originally published March 4, 2019 at 11:33 AM with the headline "Texas man accused of shooting to death roommate, leaving body in apartment for days."
