Daniel Erving's Family Demands Murder Charges After Friends Fled Lake and Destroyed Evidence

A Mother's Fight for Justice

Three months after her 18-year-old son drowned in Lake Ray Hubbard, Tameka Erving is still fighting — and the arrest of two teens has not ended that fight. Daniel was a senior at Sachse High School, a member of the swim team, and an honor-roll student — a young man with everything ahead of him. His death on April 13 has since ignited a fierce push for accountability, as his family insists that what happened at the lake that day demands far more than the charges currently on the table.

In light of new information, the family is calling for murder charges. "A reasonable-minded person would know, if you are not guilty of a crime, why would you throw away his clothes and delete messages and not even call his mother?" said Erving's mother, Tameca Erving. Their legal team is echoing that sentiment loudly, pointing to Daniel's physical fitness as a reason to question the official narrative. "Daniel Erving was an honor roll student. He was a member of his swim team. He was a strong, healthy young athlete. For these two suspects to say he drowned and they left — it doesn't add up; something smells off to us," said the family's attorney.

What Happened at Lake Ray Hubbard

According to an arrest affidavit, Roper, Erving, and a 17-year-old boy jumped into the lake from a bridge on April 13 near Miller Road in Rowlett. Erving drowned; his body was recovered days later, on April 17. Detectives determined that Roper and the juvenile were present when Erving drowned but failed to report the incident and later discarded some of his belongings.

The affidavit alleges his clothes were thrown into a tree line, his cellphone was thrown into a ditch, and that Roper deleted his communications with Daniel. Roper also admitted deleting all communications with Erving from his cellphone because he "was aware that there would be an investigation into Daniel Erving's death and he did not want to get into trouble." The discarded cellphone and some of Erving's clothing were later recovered after the juvenile suspect showed detectives where they had been thrown.

The Charges — and Their Limits

Dallas police arrested a 16-year-old and 19-year-old Lucas Roper in connection with the death of Daniel Erving, but neither is accused of causing it. Both are charged with tampering with physical evidence, a third-degree felony. Roper was granted a $10,000 bond. The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Daniel Erving's death an accidental drowning.

The family's push for a murder charge faces a high legal bar. Attorney Jeremy Rosenthal, who is not involved in the case, says such a charge would require proof of more than an alleged cover-up. "To have a homicide case here, you would have to show that they caused the death of this individual, not just that there was a cover-up, not that there just was a guilty conscience after the fact," Rosenthal said.

Community Pressure and the Road Ahead

Since Daniel's death, North Texas groups Next Generation Action Network and Justice Seekers have worked with the Erving family, pushing for transparency into the investigation. "The family believes the urgency they requested was not met during the critical early stages of the investigation," said Dominique Alexander, founder of Next Generation Action Network. "In the time since, the silence and lack of communication have only deepened their worry that this case is not receiving the attention and diligence it demands."

Daredia Law has said its firm will facilitate an independent investigation into Daniel's death. "Nearly three months later, the only charge arising from his death is tampering with evidence," the firm said. "The family and its attorneys are calling for accountability and a complete investigation that follows the evidence wherever it leads." Dallas Police noted that "this investigation remains ongoing" and that "additional charges may still be forthcoming as investigators continue their work." For a grieving mother and a community demanding answers, those words offer little comfort — but they leave the door open.