In a developing story out of North Texas that has sparked outrage, two teenagers have been arrested and charged with tampering with physical evidence in connection with the tragic drowning of 18-year-old Daniel Erving.
The Dallas Police Department recently arrested 19-year-old Lucas Roper and a 17-year-old juvenile. The arrests come nearly three months after Erving, an honor roll student and competitive high school athlete, vanished beneath the waters of Lake Ray Hubbard this past April.
While the Dallas County Medical Examiner originally ruled Erving’s death an accidental drowning, the details of what allegedly happened after he went under have led his family to demand a far more aggressive homicide investigation.
Honor-roll student and Sachse High senior Daniel Erving left home to go fishing with friends and was found dead in Lake Ray Hubbard days later. A 19-yo has been charged with tampering with evidence with intent to impair in connection with the investigation. Another family is… pic.twitter.com/VMJsiSBPBG
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) July 14, 2026
According to arrest affidavits, the tragedy began on the afternoon of April 13, 2026. Erving, Roper, and a 17-year-old boy drove to a railroad bridge spanning Lake Ray Hubbard near Rowlett, Texas, with plans to swim and hang out.
All three teens reportedly jumped from the bridge into the deep water below. While Roper and the juvenile resurfaced, Erving struggled and ultimately drowned. His body was recovered by search teams four days later, on April 17.
But instead of calling 911, screaming for help, or immediately contacting Erving’s family, police allege that Roper and the 17-year-old chose to hide the truth.
When questioned by Dallas Police, Roper reportedly admitted to deleting the communications and hiding the evidence because he panicked, knew there would be an active investigation, and “did not want to get in trouble.”
For Erving’s grieving family, the evidence-tampering charges are far from enough. During an emotional press conference, Erving’s mother, Tameca Erving, and their legal team questioned the narrative of an accidental drowning, urging prosecutors to present the case to a grand jury for potential murder charges.
“A reasonable-minded person would know, if you are not guilty of a crime, why would you throw away his clothes and delete messages and not even call his mother?” Tameca Erving asked.
The family’s attorney, Sean Daredia, pointed directly to Erving’s athletic background as a reason to doubt the suspects’ claims.
“Daniel Erving was an honor roll student. He was a member of his swim team. He was a strong, healthy young athlete,” Daredia said. “For these two suspects to say he drowned and they just left, it doesn’t add up; something smells off to us.”
Local community groups, including the Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), have rallied behind the Erving family. Activists have criticized the initial response of local police, claiming that the family’s concerns were met with delays and dismissals in the crucial days following Daniel’s disappearance.
“This case represents a complete breakdown in urgency, accountability, and equal justice,” NGAN President Dominique Alexander said in a statement. “A young Black student goes missing, and instead of immediate action, his family is met with delay.”
Roper has since been released on a $10,000 bond, while the status of the 17-year-old juvenile remains under review. As Dallas detectives continue to sift through digital evidence and interview witnesses, the Erving family is keeping the pressure on, refusing to let Daniel’s memory, or the bizarre circumstances of his final moments, be quietly swept under the rug.
