Police say two friends and neighbors argued after returning with takeout from Wingstop.
FORT WORTH, Texas — The mother of Jarvis Davis says she still cannot understand how her son was killed by someone she says was his friend and neighbor, after a dispute police say began over sharing french fries and ended with a gunshot inside a west Fort Worth apartment.
Fort Worth police say Davis, 19, was shot in the head on Jan. 28 inside an apartment in the 9500 block of Jeremiah Drive. Investigators say the suspect, Lemarques Darden Jr., 18, pulled out a handgun after Davis refused to share his fries. Davis was taken to a hospital and later died, and Darden was arrested in Tyler, Texas, nearly two weeks later and charged with murder.
Davis’ mother, Sherika Kennedy, described the death as a piece of her family missing. In an interview, she called the killing “senseless” and said the two young men knew each other well enough that the violence felt impossible to accept. “It’s so senseless,” Kennedy said, describing what she was told happened inside the apartment. She said Davis’ girlfriend was sitting close to him at the time and heard a glass break, then a gunshot, then another glass break as the scene erupted in confusion.
Police were dispatched to the apartment complex around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28, after reports of gunfire. When officers arrived, they found Davis with a gunshot wound to the head, police said. Officers performed CPR until Fort Worth Fire EMS arrived, and paramedics took Davis to a hospital. He later died from his injuries, and the Tarrant County medical examiner identified him as Jarvis Davis and said the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators say the shooting grew out of a gathering of friends that night. Witnesses told police the group had just returned to the complex after getting food from Wingstop when the argument began. Detectives said the dispute started when Davis refused to share his french fries. Police said the confrontation escalated, ending with Darden pulling out a handgun and shooting Davis in the head. Authorities have not publicly described any longer fight or a separate event leading up to the argument, and they have not said the victim had a weapon.
Accounts in court paperwork and police summaries describe a sudden, short sequence after the argument began. According to an arrest warrant affidavit cited in local reporting, witnesses said the two young men got into a verbal argument. The witnesses reported hearing a loud noise, then seeing Davis slumped on a couch. They also said they saw Darden flee the apartment with a handgun, according to the affidavit summary. Police said multiple witnesses were present, and that the information they provided helped investigators identify the suspect quickly.
After the shooting, police said the suspected shooter left the scene. Investigators identified him as a resident of the same apartment complex, and officers searched the area and the suspect’s home but did not find him immediately, police said in early statements about the case. The department said detectives were actively looking for the suspect to speak with him about what happened, and it emphasized that the shooting appeared to be an isolated event with no broader danger to the public.
As the days passed, the case shifted from an active search to an arrest and charge. Darden was later taken into custody and charged with murder, police said. Reporting on the case said he was arrested in Tyler, a city about 100 miles east of Fort Worth. Police said they believed he went there because he possibly had family in the area. Authorities did not release details about how he was located, whether he was stopped in a vehicle or found at a specific address, or whether any weapon was recovered at the time of arrest.
The killing’s reported cause has drawn attention and grief in equal measure, not only because of the ages of the two teens but because they were described as friends and neighbors. Kennedy said that detail has made the loss harder to process. Police and reporters have described them as living in the same complex, a setting that can turn a private tragedy into something neighbors carry with them when they pass the same buildings and walkways.
Kennedy’s description of the night has focused on how quickly everything changed. She said the young people inside the apartment were not expecting violence. Her account of glass breaking and a single gunshot, based on what Davis’ girlfriend experienced, points to a moment of sudden fear in a confined space. Police have not publicly confirmed what broke or where, and they have not described damage inside the apartment. Investigators also have not said whether they collected shell casings, fingerprints, or other forensic evidence that could be discussed later in court.
Early police statements said witnesses included children, a detail investigators said helped them track Darden down. Authorities did not provide ages or names for those witnesses. The department has also not said whether any witness will testify publicly at a hearing or whether video evidence exists from inside or outside the apartment. In many cases, prosecutors can seek protective orders or other measures to shield witnesses, especially young witnesses, from intimidation or public exposure.
The legal process now runs alongside Kennedy’s grief. Darden is charged with murder, and the case will proceed through Tarrant County courts. Police have not announced additional suspects or suggested anyone else fired a weapon. They also have not said whether a grand jury presentation has been scheduled, or whether prosecutors plan to seek an indictment quickly. In Texas, murder cases can move through several early stages, including bond hearings and court settings that establish timelines for evidence review and future appearances.
Officials have provided only limited detail about motive beyond the argument over fries. An arrest warrant affidavit referenced in reporting did not lay out a deeper cause for the disagreement, and police have not said whether alcohol or drugs were involved. They have not described any prior conflict between the two teens. Without those details, the public record remains focused on what investigators say happened in the apartment and what witnesses reported seeing and hearing.
In statements about the case, police have repeatedly said the incident appeared isolated. That language is often used to signal that investigators believe the threat is limited to the people involved rather than a wider pattern targeting strangers. Even so, the killing has left residents near Jeremiah Drive facing questions about safety in places meant to feel familiar, including neighbors’ homes and common areas where friends gather.
Kennedy has spoken about her son as more than the last moments described in court paperwork. Her words have centered on the shock that a friend could be accused of ending his life. She described the death as a permanent absence that does not ease with an arrest. Investigators have not released details about funeral arrangements or memorial services, and they have not said whether the family has asked for privacy or plans to make further public statements as the court case continues.
The case remains under investigation as detectives organize witness statements and physical evidence for prosecutors. Police have not said whether the gun has been recovered or whether they expect additional charges connected to the weapon. They also have not released body camera footage or incident reports beyond broad summaries. Any fuller account is expected to emerge in court filings and hearings as the case moves forward.
As of Thursday, the key facts described by police remained unchanged: Davis was shot in the head inside an apartment on Jan. 28, and the argument began over french fries after the group returned with takeout. Darden is accused of firing the shot and leaving with a handgun, based on witness accounts referenced in court paperwork. He is in custody and charged with murder, and the next major steps are expected to come from Tarrant County court settings that will determine the schedule ahead.
Author note: Last updated February 12, 2026.