On December 11, 2023, at approximately 8 p.m., 40-year-old Angela Davidson was visiting her mother's residence at Heatherbrook Apartments in Port Arthur, Texas. While on the porch, she was struck by gunfire that penetrated a wooden privacy fence separating the apartment complex from Heatherbrook Park. Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots originating from the park area. Emergency responders transported Davidson to CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
In the ensuing investigation, Port Arthur Police Department detectives analyzed the trajectory of the bullets, determining they were fired from Heatherbrook Park. Officers recovered shell casings at the scene and reviewed surveillance footage, identifying a silver 2007 Nissan Maxima linked to the incident. The video evidence showed 21-year-old Port Arthur resident, Dyllion Garner, entering the vehicle and driving to the park shortly before the shooting. Seconds after the shots were fired, the same vehicle was seen returning to the apartment complex.
Upon questioning, Garner admitted to being present at the location during the shooting, stating he had gone to the park to discharge a firearm, but claimed the shots were fired into the ground. A firearm recovered from his apartment was test-fired, and ballistic analysis indicated similarities with the shell casings found at the crime scene. Consequently, on February 15, 2024, Garner was arrested and charged with manslaughter in connection with Davidson's death. His bond was set at $100,000.
Additionally, 19-year-old Port Arthur resident, Lexie Bennett, was arrested on charges of hindering apprehension after authorities alleged she assisted Garner in evading law enforcement following the shooting. Bennett later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a three-year probated sentence and a $500 fine. As part of her probation, she was ordered to have no contact with Garner, except concerning their shared child.
Angela Davidson's untimely death deeply affected her family and the Port Arthur community. Born on October 5, 1983, in San Clemente, California, she was a 2002 graduate of Nederland High School and later obtained a vocational license in cosmetology from Lamar University. She is survived by her children, mother, father, brother, and numerous other family members and friends who cherished her memory.
