Geovani Rocha had just finished his junior year and planned to grow a summer landscaping business.
FORT WORTH, Texas — A 17-year-old Dunbar High School student was declared brain-dead after police said a man opened fire into a pickup following a late-night crash on Mansfield Highway.
Geovani Rocha was riding with his younger brother and a friend May 23 when the vehicle was struck by gunfire near Mansfield Highway and Seminary Drive. Police said Jose Camargo Madrigal, 41, was later arrested and charged with murder after the teen was legally declared brain-dead.
The shooting happened around 11:30 p.m. after two vehicles were involved in a collision, according to police records. Investigators said both vehicles stopped at a red light, where Madrigal fired into the vehicle carrying Rocha before leaving the area. Rocha was hit in the back of the head. His brother and friend were not injured.
Rocha’s family said he had just completed his junior year at Dunbar High School and was looking ahead to summer work. He had started a landscaping business and made business cards to promote it. His older sister, Estefani Rocha, said the family is struggling to accept that he will not wake up. “I know that nothing will be the same anymore,” she said.
Police said investigators used license plate readers, witnesses and aerial footage to identify the suspect vehicle, a Chevrolet Avalanche. Officers later found it parked behind a nearby home. A different vehicle left the home and ran a stop sign, police said, and officers found Madrigal in the backseat during the traffic stop.
Madrigal told detectives he and his family were on their way to pick up baby formula when the shooting happened. Police said his son was driving and Madrigal was in the front passenger seat. Investigators said Madrigal admitted firing multiple rounds into the other pickup and told officers where to find the gun, a 9mm Sig Sauer handgun, at his home.
Madrigal was first charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Police later added a murder charge after Rocha was declared brain-dead. Fort Worth police said homicide detectives are now leading the case and will review both vehicles as part of the investigation.
Officer Buddy Calzada said the case remains active. “The investigation is far from over,” he said. Police have not said whether any other weapons were found or whether additional charges are possible.
As of Wednesday, Madrigal was in the Tarrant County Jail on a $200,000 bond. The next step is review by prosecutors as detectives continue gathering evidence.
Author note: Last updated May 27, 2026.