On August 7, 2023, 45-year-old Corey Wallace Sr. was fatally shot during a robbery at his residence in Forest Hill, Texas. Wallace, a father of two and a Mercedes-Benz mechanic, was known for his dedication to family and work. The incident occurred during a game night he was hosting at his home.
According to family accounts, three young men—identified as 19-year-old Darieon Williams and 18-year-olds Labertrand Bell and Artis Womack—entered Wallace's home under the pretense of
participating in the game night. Wallace was acquainted with Bell and Womack but did not know Williams personally. During the gathering, one of the suspects brandished a firearm at Wallace's cousin. In an attempt to protect his cousin, Wallace drew his own weapon but was subsequently shot by two of the suspects, with Bell allegedly delivering the fatal shot to his back.
The Forest Hill Police Department launched an investigation that led to the arrest of all three suspects on charges related to capital murder. Bell was apprehended on August 13, 2023, and is also a suspect in a separate shooting that resulted in the deaths of two 19-year-old men in Fort Worth on July 19, 2023. He is currently held in the Tarrant County Jail with a bond set at $1 million. Womack was arrested the same day and faces charges of capital murder by terroristic threat, with his bond set at $500,000. Williams was taken into custody on September 6, 2023, facing similar charges, and his bond is set at $150,000.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Wallace's death a homicide, citing a gunshot wound to the back as the cause. Family members have expressed frustration over the perceived lack of public attention to the case, urging law enforcement to provide more information and transparency. Despite their grief, they remember Wallace as a beloved figure in the community, with a vigil held on August 10, 2023, drawing a large crowd in his honor.
