Arlington man sentenced after buying 'murder kit' before killing estranged wife

TARRANT COUNTY, Texas - An Arlington man was sentenced to life in prison without parole Wednesday after a Tarrant County jury found him guilty of capital murder in the brutal stabbing death of his estranged wife.

Life in prison

What we know:

Frederick Spears, 57, received the automatic sentence after jurors deliberated for just 17 minutes following a trial prosecuted by Tarrant County Assistant District Attorneys Chase Payne and Allenna Bangs.

"The jury spoke for Tarrant County, returning their verdict in a mere 17 minutes," District Attorney Phil Sorrells said. "We stand with victims and we hold violent criminals accountable."

The backstory:

Prosecutors detailed how, on Sept. 22, 2025, Spears attacked 53-year-old Mary Spears outside her Arlington home, violating an emergency protective order that had been issued just days prior following a domestic disturbance involving kitchen knives.

Less than a week before Mary Spears was killed, her estranged husband was arrested on a family violence charge. Arlington police admit that after he bonded out on that charge, officers agreed to drop him off at his wife’s home. 

Even though, according to his bond conditions, contact with his family was prohibited. He eventually left, but four days later, Mary Spears was dead.

"She was slaughtered and left for dead"

According to evidence presented at trial, Spears purchased a knife and saw kit—described by Payne as "a murder kit"—and lay in wait in the backyard during the early morning hours. When Mary Spears, who weighed just 83 pounds, stepped outside, Spears launched a violent attack.

What they're saying:

"She was slaughtered and left for dead," Bangs told jurors, noting that Spears carried out a long-standing threat to kill her. "He made good on the promise he had been making (to Mary) for years," Bangs said. "He always said, 'I'm going to kill you.'"

Mary Spears tried to defend herself before being forced to the ground and fatally stabbed in the heart. Her son later found her body in the backyard.

Following the killing, police found Spears hiding behind an Arlington church. As officers approached, Spears began stabbing himself and tried to attack a police K-9 before officers intervened and took him into custody.

The case was investigated by the Arlington Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and District Attorney Investigator Darla Dowell.

ArlingtonCrime and Public Safety