Two teenagers face charges related to the drowning of 18-year-old Daniel Erving. His body was found at Lake Ray Hubbard near Dallas last April. The accused, 19-year-old Lucas Roper and a 17-year-old, allegedly tampered with evidence following Erving’s accidental drowning after jumping off a railroad bridge. His body was discovered four days later, on April 17.
Roper and the juvenile suspect were taken into custody on July 9, as reported by Dallas police. It remains uncertain if they have legal representation to speak on their behalf. Attempts to contact them failed as of early Thursday.
Erving’s family is represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who urges the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office to bring the case before a grand jury. The family seeks all possible criminal charges against the two suspects.
“Daniel Erving, my baby boy,” said Tameka Erving, the victim’s mother. “He liked to go by Mike, so this fight is for Mike. He was an outstanding young man, never got into trouble, and was my guardian angel.”
Crump insists the family wants complete justice for Erving’s death. “We’re going to make them get justice—not partial justice but whole justice for Daniel Erving,”
he stated.
Crump claimed the suspects attempted to sever all ties to Erving before his death. “They tried to discard any connection they had to him,”
Crump explained. “But the truth could not be hidden forever.”
He urged law enforcement to show equal zeal in the investigation.
Erving, a senior at Sachse High School, was declared missing on April 13. He was last seen with Roper and the 17-year-old at Lake Ray Hubbard. According to an arrest affidavit, the group jumped from a railroad bridge, resulting in Erving’s drowning. Roper and the juvenile allegedly left the scene in Roper’s vehicle, discarding Erving’s possessions.
The affidavit states the 17-year-old threw Erving’s cellphone from a vehicle, directed by Roper. “A reasonably minded person would question why his phone and clothes were discarded without calling his mother if nothing illegal occurred,”
said Tameka Erving.
Friends picked up Erving to go fishing, contradicting reports that he never returned home. His mother expressed dissatisfaction with the urgency of the investigation during its critical early stages. Founder of Next Generation Action Network, Dominique Alexander, raised concerns about the investigation’s speed and attention.
Rowlett police faced criticism for not being able to track Erving’s phone before finding his body. Family members questioned the timing of actions taken, according to KXAS.
The younger teen reportedly searched for Erving after the incident, according to the suspect’s mother. Dallas police lead the investigation, offering condolences to Erving’s family. The case remains under investigation, and details have not been extensively discussed by officials.