Hotel manager shot to death in Oak Cliff

Dallas police made an arrest Friday in the shooting death of an Oak Cliff motel manager.

Six shots on a door appear to have been fired from room 111 of the City Inn and Suites Motel on Ewing Avenue early Friday morning.

Bullets also chipped a cement column outside.

The victim, who has been identified as LaDonna Fay Gist, was found near a stairwell. She’s described as a woman in her early 40s who lived in room 108.

Police have since charged 36-year-old Estevan Lara with murder. 

It appears to be a case of mistaken identity. The suspect in the room thought someone else was at the door when shots were fired.

According to court documents, witnesses in the room say Estevan was jittery because he had been shot about a month ago by his brother and uses a gun for protection.

One of the witnesses said they saw Lara's brother in the parking lot asking where he was.

The witness told the suspect his brother was looking for him.

The suspect called his brother and the two started arguing.

The suspect wanted to come to confront his brother, but he was held back by the other witnesses.

Then there was a loud knock at the door, and the suspect began firing. 

But it was Gist, the night manager, and not the brother.

“She was a nice lady,” said one of the victim’s friends. “Trying to get on her feet. She was trying to improve her life.”