Teen identified as suspect in Dallas 7-Eleven murder

DALLAS - Dallas police identified one of three suspects wanted for the robbery and murder of a man at a gas station.       

Police say 17-year-old Jayden Blanton and two others robbed and killed 37-year-old Jorge Torres Sunday night at a 7-Eleven in the Red Bird area.

Police believe Blanton is the one who pulled the trigger while police in Cedar Hill think he is also their suspect in a separate crime.

Blanton may now also be a suspect in a robbery at a Valero gas station early Friday morning in Cedar Hill. But Dallas police are certain he is the shooter in the robbery and murder that happened Sunday night about 10:45 p.m. at a 7-Eleven in the Red Bird area.

The arrest warrant affidavit describes the crime in detail. Blanton was seen on 7-Eleven security video following the victim, Jorge Torres, to the counter after both had picked up sodas Sunday night.

Police say Blanton was seen standing behind Torres and observed the amount of money Torres had in his wallet. Police pixilated the faces of Torres and others in the video before releasing it to the public.

Once outside, Blanton was joined by two other young men who attacked Torres near a gas pump.

The affidavit says, “Blanton pulled out a firearm and struck (Torres) in the face." It went on to say "during the attack suspect Blanton shot (Torres) in the shoulder area…. Blanton then stood over (Torres) and shot him in the head" before stealing his wallet.

All three young men then ran to a nearby apartment complex.

The robbery-murder has given regular customers second thoughts about pumping gas at the intersection of Ledbetter and Hampton late at night.

"That's why I'm here now while the sun's up because I was actually here that night getting gas,” said Andrew Lewis. “We all see a whole bunch of people down here you know, and sometimes a lot of people don't think right and things may get dangerous. It's a very scary situation to be in."

“Sounds dangerous that late at night nowadays,” said Dedrick Thomas. “But if you need gas, you got to come get gas."

Meanwhile, police in Cedar Hill believe Blanton may be a suspect in a separate robbery early Friday morning at a Valero gas station. Surveillance pictures show a similar-looking man with a gun demanding money from a female clerk.

Nobody was hurt in the Cedar Hill case.