Decoda Lee Roberts, a 23-year-old male from Fort Worth, Texas, tragically lost his life on March 6, 2020. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office determined that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the torso. Decoda was shot in the chest in the 4300 block of Poinsetta Drive and was pronounced dead at a hospital approximately 35 minutes later.
The homicide unit of the Fort Worth Police Department launched an investigation into his death.
The investigation revealed that Decoda was in the neighborhood to work on a friend's car when he was approached by three assailants wearing hooded jackets. Surveillance video from a nearby house captured the moments leading up to the shooting. The video showed the assailants circling Decoda while he repeatedly stated that he did not want to fight and was going home. At some point, Decoda brandished a rifle, and a struggle ensued. One of the suspects wrestled away the rifle, while another suspect struck Decoda in the head with a long shiny item, possibly a baseball bat, before a gunshot was heard.
The investigation led to the arrest of three suspects in connection with Decoda's death. Maximilliano Sandoval, 20, was linked to the crime through a black Chrysler 300 registered to his mother, which detectives believe was used by the assailants to travel to and from the scene. Sandoval claimed he was at his girlfriend's house at the time of the shooting. He was booked into the city jail on suspicion of murder. Chad Burrell, 34, and Isaiah Story, 21, both pleaded guilty to manslaughter in December 2020. Burrell was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while Story received an eight-year sentence. Both had initially been indicted on murder charges.
The motive behind the shooting was believed to be related to an incident in early 2020, when someone fired rounds in the air near the residence where Story and his twin brother lived. The Story brothers suspected Decoda of being the person who fired the rounds and had previously pulled a rifle on him in February 2020. The tragic events of March 6, 2020, culminated in Decoda's untimely death, leaving his family and friends to mourn the loss of a beloved son, brother, and father.
