On November 8, 2017, 15-year-old Andrew Bryan, a male student at Edwards Academy in Temple, Texas, was fatally shot at Jackson Park. Andrew was African American. The incident occurred in the morning, and Andrew was found dead at the scene. The suspect, 17-year-old Edgar Lopez-Benitez, was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder and arson.
Edgar Lopez-Benitez pleaded guilty to the charges in August 2018.
He was sentenced to 45 years in prison for the murder and an additional 10 years for arson. According to his confession, Edgar was motivated by jealousy over a girl and had set fire to a home two days before the shooting. On the day of the murder, he followed Andrew to Jackson Park and shot him multiple times, ultimately leading to Andrew's death.
The case drew significant attention in Temple, Texas, and the community mourned the loss of the young victim. The legal proceedings against Edgar Lopez-Benitez were closely followed, and his sentencing brought some closure to the tragic event.
