A suspect who was charged with murder days after he first claimed to witness a woman’s “suicide” turned himself in on Tuesday.
Donnie Moreland, 63, had been identified by the Dallas Police Department (DPD) as a suspect in the murder of Erica Davis, 38, which occurred earlier this month.
DPD told The Dallas Express, “He is in custody. He turned himself in to police … further details are part of the ongoing investigation.”
According to a DPD news release, officers responded to a call in City Councilman Adam Bazaldua’s District 7 on the 2500 block of Marburg Street at approximately 5:45 p.m. on February 1.
Police found Davis inside a home with a gunshot wound. Moreland apparently told officers that Davis had shot herself in an attempt to end her life. The woman reportedly died at the scene.
Medical examiners at the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office subsequently inspected Davis’ body on February 6, conducting an autopsy, and concluded that she had not committed suicide but had instead been killed by someone, according to the release.
A warrant for Moreland’s arrest was issued shortly thereafter.
Moreland is currently being held in the Dallas County jail on a $1 million bond, according to jail records.
As previously reported in The Dallas Express, Bazaldua’s district has a violent reputation marked by a greater share of the city’s murders and aggravated assaults compared to other districts.
Still, there has been an overall uptick in violent crimes citywide since the new year, with year-to-date spikes of 8.33% in murders and 17.09% in aggravated assaults compared to last year, according to a recent DPD briefing.
