Family and friends of Cody Scott gathered Wednesday on East Berry Street to mark one year since the 32-year-old Fort Worth father was shot and killed near the intersection with Edgewood Terrace, where a small blue cross now stands as a memorial.
The site has become a place of both grief and remembrance for the Scott family and the Rev. Patrick Moses of First Missionary Baptist Church, who is serving as the family’s spokesperson.
“This has been a very difficult year,” Moses said.
Scott was found shot in the driver’s seat of his car on Aug. 18, 2025, at 2:55 p.m., according to Fort Worth police. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
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Police quickly arrested Christopher Jerome Blanton Jr., a local up-and-coming country music artist, who told investigators he acted in self-defense. Blanton is now facing a murder charge and is scheduled back in court on Wednesday, Aug. 26.
According to an arrest affidavit, Blanton told detectives he believed Scott was following him. Blanton said he had seen Scott at a Murphy Express gas station before the shooting, and that Scott’s car left the station before his own. The two vehicles ended up next to each other about a mile down the road, the affidavit states.
Blanton fired at least two shots from his vehicle into Scott’s car, according to the affidavit. Scott crashed after being shot.
A person riding in Blanton’s car told police he could not see the occupants of Scott’s vehicle and did not see Scott with a weapon before Blanton opened fire, the affidavit states.
A year later, Moses said the family still has no clear answers.
“There is still no clarity on any of this,” he said.
The family said it wants Blanton to face the maximum consequences.
“This family wants him to be held accountable from the angle of serving time, as much time as possible in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice,” Moses said.
Scott’s death left behind a daughter, Chloe, who was 6 months old at the time of the shooting and has since turned 1. His sister, Destiny Scott, said he had been overjoyed about becoming a father.
“He said this is the best time of my life, my first child,” Destiny Scott said.
Scott’s fiancée and family said the past year has been marked by milestones he missed, including Chloe’s first steps and her first birthday.
“We have decided to do everything to ensure that she always knows that her father is ever present in her life,” Moses said.
Family members said Scott’s memory remains part of their daily lives, including a life-sized picture of him they keep close. Moses said he believes Scott is watching over the family from above.
“I just believe that he is looking down from heaven Sunday after Sunday,” he said.
Still, the loss weighs heavily on those left behind.
“There’s a lot of weight on the family,” Moses said.
An attorney representing Blanton did not respond to a request for comment.