The teen was taken into custody in Dallas after a two-day search; the victim was identified as 24-year-old Romeo English.
LAVON, TX — A 14-year-old middle school student wanted in the fatal shooting of a man in this Collin County city was arrested Monday night in Dallas, police said, ending a region-wide search that began after the weekend killing.
Authorities said the boy is suspected in the Saturday night shooting of 24-year-old Romeo English in a residential neighborhood on Wellington Drive. Earlier Monday, Lavon Police Chief J. Michael Jones publicly urged the teen to turn himself in and warned that anyone helping him could face charges. The arrest followed extra security at nearby schools and coordination among multiple agencies. Police have not released the suspect’s name because he is a juvenile, and no motive has been announced.
Police said officers were called just before 9 p.m. Saturday to a house party in Lavon, where an argument erupted between the 14-year-old and English, who were described as acquaintances. The dispute briefly cooled, then the teen produced a firearm and fired multiple times at close range, striking English, according to investigators. English was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead. Witnesses told police the teen fled the scene immediately after the shooting. On Monday, with the search widening beyond Collin County, Jones repeated his plea for the teen to surrender, saying, “I will find you. I will investigate you, and I will put you in jail,” before officers located the suspect in Dallas and took him into custody without incident.
Investigators identified the teen as a student at Community Trails Middle School. Community ISD restricted campus visitors at three schools inside Lavon city limits during the search and added security as a precaution. District officials said the student had not attended classes since Nov. 11. Police said the victim, English, 24, of Rowlett, had been at the gathering earlier in the evening. Family members said he and his girlfriend were expecting a child; relatives described him as excited to become a father. Police have not detailed how the teen obtained a gun. Officials also have not confirmed what started the argument or whether anyone else at the party might face charges.
The shooting happened in Crestridge Meadows, a subdivision on the city’s southeast side near the 700 block of Wellington Drive. Residents reported hearing shouting and several gunshots shortly before sirens converged on the street. Lavon police called the killing unusual for the city and requested help from the Collin County District Attorney’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Collin County and Dallas County sheriff’s offices, and school district police. The search briefly included leads outside Texas, according to authorities, before the teen was located in Dallas. Neighbors said officers canvassed for doorbell footage and interviewed partygoers through Sunday.
Police did not immediately announce specific charges Monday night. Because the suspect is 14, the case will begin in juvenile court, where prosecutors could seek to certify him to stand trial as an adult; officials have not said whether they will pursue that step. The Dallas arrest starts the process of transferring the teen to Collin County juvenile authorities. Detectives said they are still collecting statements and digital evidence, including video from homes bordering Wellington Drive. Autopsy findings from the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office are pending.
On Monday morning, before the arrest, Jones said homicide is rare in Lavon and called the case “even more shocking” because of the suspect’s age. By evening, he thanked partnering agencies and residents for rapid tips that helped locate the teen without further violence. Outside the neighborhood where the shooting occurred, a small group left candles on a curb. English’s girlfriend, LaDericka Brownfield, said the loss “changed everything in a moment,” adding that English had picked a name for their unborn son earlier that day.
As of late Monday, the teen was in custody and awaiting transfer to juvenile authorities. Police said they will release additional information about charges and court proceedings when available. The next update is expected after the suspect’s initial juvenile intake and any first appearance scheduled by Collin County officials.
Author note: Last updated December 15, 2025.