Man arrested in death of robbery accomplice slain by another in Fort Worth marijuana deal
An Irving man has been arrested on a murder charge after his robbery accomplice was shot and killed by an occupant of a Fort Worth home they planned to rob of marijuana and money earlier this month, according to a warrant.
Benito Rodriguez was taken into custody last week in the Sept. 6 shooting death of Jesus Manuel Araujo, 34, of Mesquite.
Fort Worth police had not arrested the man who shot Araujo.
Rodriguez didn’t fire the shot that killed Araujo, but Fort Worth police say he can be charged in connection with his accomplice’s death because he was engaged in a dangerous act — an armed robbery — that caused the death of another person.
Rodriguez was in the Tarrant County Jail Monday in lieu of $100,00 bond.
Rodriguez escaped the shooting and fled on the morning of Sept. 6, according to the warrant obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram .
The warrant written by Detective J. Cedillo gave this account of the fatal shooting:
Rodriguez admitted to initiating a plan to rob a resident of his marijuana and money in the 3400 block of Brown Ave. in Fort Worth.
He asked Araujo who he had met in prison for help to carry out the holdup because he knew that the Mesquite man carried a weapon.
Just before 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 6, Rodriguez and Araujuo walked into the residence and a gunfight erupted. The occupant of the home managed to shoot Araujo several times while Rodriguez fled the home and drove off in this Chevrolet Spark.
During his escape from the home, Rodriguez managed to steal some marijuana.
When they arrived, officers found Araujo with multiple gunshot wounds and a weapon in his pants.
Officers searched the home and found a locked bedroom where they found a large amount of marijuana in a closet and drug paraphernalia throughout the residence.
