Man arrested in fatal Pleasant Grove shooting

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Fredrick Wilkins (Source: Dallas County Jail)

DALLAS - A man has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a 28-year-old man in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood last week.

Homicide Investigation

What we know:

Dallas Police say 27-year-old Fredrick Wilkins was arrested on Monday. He was booked into the Dallas County Jail and is facing a charge of murder.

According to police, 28-year-old Alejandro Lopez was shot on Thursday, June 12, just after 5 p.m. in the 10200 block of Budtime Lane. 

When police arrived, they found Lopez with a gunshot wound. Dallas Fire-Rescue took him to the hospital, where he later died.

The investigation remains ongoing.

According to jail records, Wilkins is also being held in jail on a charge of aggravated robbery.

His bond on the murder charge is set at $500,000. The bond for aggravated robbery is set at $250,000.

Dig deeper:

According to the arrest affidavit, Wilkins and Lopez are believed to have known each other. When detectives searched Lopez's cell phone, they found text messages between the two, with "detailed drug-seeking behaviors."

Investigators say Lopez wanted to buy "powder" (cocaine) from Wilkins. Wilkens then sent a photo of a .40 caliber Glock 23 to Lopez, offering it for sale. Investigators say prices were agreed upon, and the conversation ended just after 4 p.m.

The next text conversation started at 4:44 p.m. with Wilkins asking if they were going to meet up and close the deal. At 4:50 p.m., Wilkins sends his Cashapp username to Lopez. Lopez tells Wilkins to meet "behind my girl's crib off bud," police say. That text happened at 4:58 p.m.

During the investigation, detectives learned that Wilkins was identified as a suspect in an aggravated robbery that happened on June 9. During that robbery, money and a .40 caliber Glock 23 handgun were stolen. He was taken into custody.

When his home was searched, the stolen handgun was found.

According to the affidavit, Wilkins admitted to aggravated robbery. He also acknowledged exchanging information and agreeing to sell narcotics to Lopez. He told police he met Lopez in an alley, and he saw Lopez with an unknown silver object. That is when he pulled a handgun and fired one time at Lopez.

Detectives did not recover a handgun or other physical evidence from the crime scene to support Wilkins' claim of another gun being involved.

Information Sought

What you can do:

Police are asking anyone with information regarding the shooting to contact Detective A. Thayer at 214-671-3657 or via email at adam.thayer@dallaspolice.gov.