Ricardo Acevedo: Fort Worth Shooting and Manslaughter Charge

Ricardo Casarez Acevedo III, a 15-year-old from Fort Worth, was fatally shot on December 22, 2025, inside a home in southwest Fort Worth while handling firearms with a friend. The friend, 17-year-old Justin Wells, was arrested roughly five weeks later on a manslaughter charge after detectives concluded he had been reckless with a loaded gun pointed in Acevedo’s direction.¹

What Happened on Snow Ridge Drive

Fort Worth police responded that afternoon to a shooting at a residence in the 7400 block of Snow Ridge Drive, near the Candleridge neighborhood. Officers found Acevedo with a gunshot wound to his upper torso. He was taken toward a nearby hospital but died in transit at about 3:21 p.m.²

According to an arrest warrant affidavit by Fort Worth Police Detective Leah Dickerson, Wells and Acevedo were in a bedroom with two firearms: an AR pistol and a Taurus 9mm pistol equipped with a laser. Wells told detectives both guns belonged to Acevedo. A third friend was asleep in the room.¹

How the Gun Fired, According to Wells

Wells said he was sitting on a bed holding the AR pistol while Acevedo stood a few feet in front of him. He told investigators he racked the weapon without the magazine to check whether it was empty, reinserted the magazine, and pulled the trigger. The gun fired a single round that struck Acevedo in the chest.¹

A resident who had been upstairs came down to find Acevedo falling backward near the doorway, clutching his chest. Wells was standing nearby with a black gun. The witness said Wells pressed a rag against the wound and repeatedly said, “I’m sorry,” then ran to a nearby park and left the firearm behind. Police later recovered it at the home.¹

The Arrest and the Manslaughter Charge

Wells was arrested on January 27, 2026, more than a month after the shooting. Detective Dickerson wrote in the affidavit that investigators found Wells had been “reckless in handling a loaded gun pointed in the direction of Acevedo.” As of January 29, 2026, Wells was held at the Tarrant County Jail on a $75,000 bond.¹

Texas Penal Code Section 19.04 defines manslaughter as recklessly causing the death of another person and classifies it as a second-degree felony,³ which in Texas carries a potential sentence of two to 20 years in state prison. Because Wells was 17 at the time of the offense, he was charged as an adult; Texas is one of a small number of states that routes 17-year-olds through the adult criminal justice system rather than the juvenile system.⁴ No grand jury indictment, plea, or trial date had been publicly reported as of the most recent available information.

Who Ricardo Acevedo Was

Acevedo was born on March 7, 2010, in Fort Worth, the son of Heather Sosa and Ricardo Casarez Acevedo Jr. He had three siblings: Cruz Godina, Cyril Myers, and Marissa Myers.⁵ His family described him in an online obituary as “a beloved son, brother, grandson, and friend whose presence brought light, love, and meaning to the lives of all who knew him,” adding that “his smile, gentle spirit, and kind heart left a lasting impression that will never be forgotten.” A GoFundMe campaign set up for the family said he had planned to graduate high school early, pursue a trade, and focus on a music career.⁶

1
Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Friend Arrested in Fatal Shooting of 15-Year-Old Ricardo Acevedo in Fort Worth
2
Dallas Morning News. Officials Identify Fort Worth Shooting Victim as 15-Year-Old Teen
3
Justia. Texas Penal Code Section 19.04 – Manslaughter
4
Texas House Research Organization. HB 4 Bill Analysis
5
Carrillo Funeral Homes. Ricardo Casarez Acevedo III Obituary
6
Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Family Identifies 15-Year-Old Killed in Fort Worth Shooting