Erick Alexus Artea Lerma, a 28-year-old Hispanic man, was killed on the evening of March 31, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. He had been born in Miguel Auza, Zacatecas, Mexico, and his obituary described him as a husband and father who was survived by his wife, Luvia Rubi, his daughters Hailey Carolina and Lia Leonor, his son Andrew Alexis, his parents Erasmo and Lilia, and his brothers Erasmo, Angel, and Jack.
The shooting unfolded around 7:30 p.m.
in the 4400 block of the Dallas Fort Worth Service Turnpike, near Interstate 30 and Loop 12, in the area of an Oak Cliff shopping center. Police said officers responded to a shooting call and found Erick dead at the scene. Early reporting described him as being inside a vehicle when he was found, and Dallas Fire-Rescue pronounced him dead there.
Investigators identified the suspected shooter as Anthony Rios Rivera, 32. According to police and court-document reporting, Rivera allegedly found his wife riding as a passenger in Erick’s vehicle. The encounter quickly turned violent. Authorities alleged Rivera used his own vehicle to ram or block Erick’s car, causing a collision that involved other parked vehicles in the shopping-center parking lot. Once Erick’s vehicle was immobilized, Rivera allegedly got out and opened fire through the front windshield.
The shooting was described as a sudden and brutal attack. Reporting based on official documents said Rivera fired approximately 13 rounds from a. 40-caliber handgun. Erick was struck multiple times in the chest and died from his wounds. Surveillance cameras from a nearby business reportedly captured the crash and the gunfire, and witnesses at the scene helped corroborate the sequence of events.
Rivera allegedly fled before officers arrived, but police later located and arrested him. During questioning, he reportedly admitted to firing the shots, though he claimed he believed Erick was armed. Investigators said no weapon was found on Erick or inside his vehicle. A magistrate determined there was probable cause for Rivera’s arrest.
Anthony Rios Rivera was booked into the Dallas County jail and charged with murder, a first-degree felony under Texas law. Dallas police listed the investigation under case number 045733-2026 and continued asking anyone with information to contact Detective R. Kramer. As of the available reporting, Rivera was the only named suspect, and no trial or conviction had been reported.
