Daniel Erving‘s family demanded answers on July 14, 2026, in Rowlett, Texas, after two teenagers were arrested on July 9 on charges of tampering with physical evidence in connection with his April drowning at Lake Ray Hubbard. The family held a press conference with attorneys to call for broader charges and a fuller investigation into the circumstances that led to Erving’s death.
The developments matter because investigators labeled the death an accidental drowning while the family’s legal team and allied civil rights advocates say actions taken after the incident suggest attempts to conceal critical evidence. The family has retained outside investigators and urged the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office to consider presenting the case to a grand jury if additional charges are warranted.
Arrests and alleged evidence tampering
On July 9, investigators arrested Lucas Roper 19, and a 17-year-old juvenile and charged each with tampering with physical evidence, a third-degree felony, after an arrest affidavit alleged both fled the scene following Erving’s drowning on April 13, 2026. The affidavit detailed that Roper allegedly threw Erving’s clothing into a tree line near a bridge by Miller Road and that the juvenile threw Erving’s cellphone from a moving vehicle at Roper’s direction. Roper allegedly admitted to detectives that he “panicked” and deleted all communications with Erving from his cellphone to avoid trouble, according to the affidavit.
Circumstances of the drowning and recovery of the body
Authorities reported that Erving, 18, left his home in Rowlett on April 13, 2026, and was last seen around 4:45 p.m. after going to the lake with Roper and the juvenile; the three had reportedly jumped from a railroad bridge near the 6300 block of Miller Road. Erving’s body was recovered from Lake Ray Hubbard on April 17. The Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the manner of death as accidental drowning a finding that the family disputes and says does not account for the alleged post-incident conduct by the other individuals present.
Family response and legal actions
At a July 14 press conference in Rowlett, Erving’s mother and the family’s attorneys pressed for what they described as “whole justice.” Tameka Erving described her son and declared their determination to seek accountability. During the event the family and attorney Ben Crump voiced dissatisfaction with the third-degree felony tampering charges and signaled that they may seek additional charges if investigators and prosecutors find supporting evidence. Crump said, “We’re going to make them get justice — not partial justice, not half justice, not three-fifths justice, but we’re going to get whole justice for Daniel Erving.”
The family’s legal team, which also includes attorney Sean Deredia, has questioned why individuals present would discard clothing and a phone and not immediately notify family or emergency services if the death had been purely accidental. Deredia asked lawmakers and prosecutors to examine whether the actions described in the arrest affidavit support more serious charges, stating, “If it’s an accident, why hide the clothes? Why flee the scene? Why toss Daniel Erving’s cell phone out the car?” During the same conference, Tameka Erving asked, “A reasonably minded person would know that if you were not guilty of a crime, why would you throw away his phone, throw away his clothes and not call his mother?”
Investigative and prosecutorial roles
The Rowlett Police Department has said it assisted as requested, while the Dallas Police Department is the lead agency because Erving’s death occurred within the City of Dallas. Police declined to release further details while the investigation and potential prosecution remain active. The family and allied advocates, including the Next Generation Action Network, criticized the delay between the April incident and the July arrests and are urging transparency from law enforcement and the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.
As the criminal cases proceed, the family has retained independent investigators to review the circumstances surrounding the drowning and the reported actions of those present. The Erving family maintains that the tampering arrests are a step forward but not the end of their pursuit for accountability, and they continue to call for a full investigation and for prosecutors to follow the evidence wherever it leads. Ultimo aggiornamento: 15 luglio 2026
