Authorities announced last week they have arrested a second suspect in the 2021 fatal shooting of a 22-year-old man in Dallas. On May 9, 23-year-old Omar Varela Jr. was arrested on a murder charge in connection with the death of Keyviontay Winston.
On October 13, 2021, officers responded to a shooting call in the 8000 block of Military Parkway in Pleasant Grove. They found Winston with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, a witness said they had been meeting someone in the area with Winston when he was shot. When Winston and the witness got there, he used the witness’ phone to call Laquentis Jermond Washington-Curley, the first suspect arrested in the case.
The witness claimed Winston got out of the car to meet with Washington-Curley, and after a while, they heard multiple gunshots and saw that Winston had been shot.
Investigators also said that a second witness told them about a message Washington-Curley shared on social media. In the post, Washington-Curley apparently said Winston tried to take his gun.
Washington-Curley was arrested and taken to the Dallas County jail in March. He allegedly told investigators that he and Varela had met with Winston for a drug deal. Washington-Curley allegedly said that while he was showing Winston the drugs, Winston tried to take his gun, so he shot at the victim. Police also believe that Varela shot at Winston during the scuffle.
As written in the affidavit, Washington-Curley reportedly said he and Varela drove away from the scene and threw the gun in the Trinity River.
Varela is being held in the Dallas County jail with bail set at $1.81 million. Washington-Curley’s bail is set at $1.71 million.
The two also face charges of aggravated assault related to the shooting that killed Winston. Police said several bullets from the shooting struck an apartment nearby where a woman was inside with her three children. The woman and her children were not injured in the incident.
