Robert "Jaden" Urrea, a 19-year-old Hispanic male and sophomore student at Southern Methodist University was fatally shot in the early morning hours of October 31, 2020, in downtown Dallas, Texas. Urrea had attended a Halloween party that night and was arranging for a ride back to campus when he was senselessly killed. Surveillance footage captured the tragic incident, showing a white sedan driving recklessly with its headlights off, running a red light, and eventually stopping near an
intersection where Urrea was crossing. As he passed behind the vehicle, some form of communication appeared to capture his attention. When he turned toward the car, he was shot in the chest at close range. A witness called 911, but Urrea was pronounced dead at the scene.
The murder was initially believed to be a random drive-by shooting committed by complete strangers. However, investigations later revealed that the perpetrator was Jeremy Rashaud Harris, a 31-year-old African American male from Ellis County, Texas. Harris was identified as a serial killer responsible for multiple murders across North Texas during the fall of 2020. His killing spree included the fatal shooting of Urrea, as well as three other victims: Adam Gautreau, Jerome Hamilton, and Blair Carter. Gautreau, a 36-year-old father, was shot on an interstate service road on November 14, 2020. Less than an hour later, Hamilton, a 57-year-old man, was found suffering from gunshot wounds in his vehicle and later died at the hospital. On November 18, Harris murdered his ex-girlfriend’s father, 60-year-old Blair Carter, before setting his house on fire in Celina, Texas.
Dallas police arrested Harris on November 17, 2020, after linking him to the murders through surveillance footage, witness descriptions, and forensic evidence, including a firearm found in his possession. His black Chevy SUV was also identified in connection with the crimes. Harris was charged with multiple counts of murder and was held on a $250,000 bail. In November 2023, he pleaded guilty to all charges, waiving his right to a trial. As part of his plea deal, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
During Harris’s sentencing, the families of his victims, including Urrea’s mother, Patricia Weaver, delivered emotional testimonies. Weaver described Harris as a coward and expressed the deep pain of losing her son. She had flown to Dallas on the morning of Urrea’s murder for a planned visit, only to receive a devastating phone call upon landing, informing her that her son had been killed. The families of the other victims also shared their grief and the lasting trauma caused by Harris’s actions.
Urrea was a promising student who had recently transferred to SMU and was thriving academically. He was passionate about law and music and had a bright future ahead of him. His family, devastated by his loss, worked closely with the Dallas Police Department and Crime Stoppers to seek justice and prevent further tragedies. The senseless nature of his murder, along with Harris’s other crimes, left a lasting impact on the North Texas community.
