Man killed in Fort Worth while delivering furniture
FORT WORTH, Texas - Fort Worth police arrested a man with an extensive criminal history for the carjacking and murder of a furniture delivery driver.
The crime happened earlier this month while the victim was on the job.
Carlos Valdez, 28, is behind bars at Tarrant County Correctional Center. He’s charged with felony murder after police say he killed a furniture delivery driver while stealing his truck.
Isabel Juarez told FOX 4 about the east Fort Worth carjacking that left her husband’s grandmother terrified and unable to sleep.
On Friday Aug. 5, the 62-year-old was home alone waiting for a delivery when she heard a knock at the door.
Juarez says the two employees with the Dallas-based Canales Furniture unloaded the mattress and placed it on the porch.
"She was out here helping the movers move the plants, hold the door open for them," she said. "And then all of a sudden, she just heard the truck take off."
According to Fort Worth police, Valdez got inside of the delivery truck and sped off. But 30-year-old Fabricio Rivera-Perez, a Canales Furniture employee, was still inside it.
"At that point, the victim either jumped out or fell off the truck, landed in the middle of the street, where he was pronounced deceased," said Fort Worth Officer Daniel Segura.
Juarez says the second employee was still on her grandmother’s porch.
"The other worker just threw the bed and just started chasing the truck," she said.
Segura says police found the truck parked two blocks away but saw no sign of Valdez. It’s unclear how he was able to get away, but investigators say it’s likely there were more suspects involved.
"Definitely, he was not acting by himself," Segura said.
Valdez was arrested Wednesday. He has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 2014, which includes charges for unlawful carry, theft, assault, drug possession and five counts of burglary of a vehicle or a home.
The Tarrant County medical examiner has not released a cause for Rivera-Perez’s death.
Police are still looking for possible surveillance video in the area.