Teen suspect in Lake Ray Hubbard drowning case indicted on tampering charges

DALLAS - The suspect arrested in connection to an April drowning at Lake Ray Hubbard has been indicted on tampering charges, but no foul play is currently suspected by authorities.

Lucas Roper indictment

What's New:

A Grand Jury in Dallas County has indicted 19-year-old Lucas Roper on tampering with physical evidence charges in connection to Daniel Evring's drowning death in April at Lake Ray Hubbard.

Roper was arrested on July 9 in connection to the incident. A juvenile suspect was also arrested.

An autopsy on Erving's body conducted by the Dallas County Medical Examiner concluded he died from drowning.

No foul play is currently suspected in the investigation.

Lay Ray Hubbard drowning death

The backstory:

According to court documents, the investigation stems from an April 13 incident when Erving, Roper, and a 16-year-old juvenile, went fishing and swimming at the lake before jumping from a bridge into the water. Investigators say Erving, an honor roll student and member of his high school swim team, drowned shortly after jumping. His body was recovered by emergency teams four days later.

Rather than calling for help, police say Roper launched an extensive effort to hide the tragedy because he panicked and did not want to get into trouble.

According to an arrest affidavit, Roper admitted to investigators that he and the juvenile threw Erving’s clothes into nearby brush. Roper also allegedly deleted the call logs and text messages from Erving’s cell phone, ordered the juvenile to toss the device out of a moving vehicle's window, and fled the area.

"Those two suspects let Daniel Erving... sit on the bottom of Lake Ray Hubbard for four days," said attorney Sean Dareida, who has been retained by the family to conduct an independent investigation. "They went to school. They lived their lives... If it’s an accident, why hide the clothes? Why flee the scene? Why toss Daniel Erving's cell phone off the car?"

Family Demands Murder Charges

Erving's family called for murder charges following Roper's arrest at a press conference earlier this month.

"A reasonable-minded person would know if you are not guilty of a crime, why would you throw away his clothes and delete messages and not even call his mother?" said Tameca Erving, Daniel's mother. "I want justice for my son."

Speakers at the briefing lambasted law enforcement for what they described as a three-month delay in making arrests despite having interviewed the suspects within days of Erving's disappearance. Because Erving was a skilled, healthy swimmer who was comfortable in the water, the family's legal team insists the narrative of an accidental drowning does not add up.

"We won't accept tampering charges," Dorado said, urging the Dallas County District Attorney's Office to take the case to a grand jury for homicide charges. "Take this case. Take the facts. Take the evidence to a grand jury and bring the appropriate charges."

Erving's sister noted that her brother had been preparing to join the military to serve and protect his country. "For something like this to happen to him and for it to be no sense of urgency is absolutely ridiculous," she said. "Right is right and wrong is wrong. And when it’s a life or death situation, you are to render aid."

The Dallas Police Department currently maintains control of the investigation after jurisdictional crossover with the Rowlett Police Department during the initial days of the search. The family has stated they will not cease their public campaign until everyone involved, including potential accessories after the fact, is held fully accountable.

What they're saying:

Anthony Farmer, an attorney not involved with the case, says more charges could come as the investigation continues.

"That's the obvious selection. That's what they feel they can prove based on the elements of the offense," Farmer tells FOX 4's Shaun Rabb of Roper's indictment. 

"I will say the arrest and indictment is significant because it can lead to further evidence, and so, that's not to say that, at some point, these defendants won't be charged with something even more serious, like a murder."

What's next:

Erving's family's attorneys are hoping to meet with the Dallas County District Attorney's Office to discuss the case in the coming weeks.