A 23-year-old man faces a murder charge after investigators say surveillance video showed him following a neighbor’s vehicle on a bicycle before opening fire on the parked car, according to an arrest warrant affidavit made public Tuesday.
Jose Alfonso Escamilla was taken into custody Monday after a fatal shooting Sunday night in northwest Fort Worth that also prompted a SWAT response and a brief barricade situation.
The victim was identified as 44-year-old Rudy Jaramillo.
What Happened in Fort Worth Shooting
Fort Worth police were called around 8:48 p.m. Sunday to the 5600 block of Talons Crest Circle after receiving a report of a shooting.
Officers arrived to find Jaramillo behind the wheel of a vehicle stopped in the street outside his home. Multiple bullets had struck the vehicle, and Jaramillo was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the affidavit, surveillance footage collected from neighboring homes and Jaramillo’s spouse showed a person wearing dark clothing riding a bicycle behind Jaramillo’s vehicle at about 8:44 p.m.
Investigators said the bicyclist approached the vehicle and fired several rounds before leaving the area. Additional surveillance footage reportedly showed the person returning to a residence on Talons Crest Circle shortly after four gunshots were heard.
Police later identified Escamilla as the only adult male living at that residence using police records and vehicle registration information.
Police Say Neighbor Dispute Was Under Investigation
Investigators served a search warrant at the residence Monday and brought Escamilla, his mother and his younger sister in for questioning.
According to the affidavit, Escamilla’s mother told detectives that her son typically wears black clothing and owns several bicycles and firearms.
She also described tension involving neighbors. The woman told investigators Escamilla had contacted police approximately one to two weeks before the shooting because he believed a neighbor was moving hidden surveillance cameras in bushes near the front of a residence.
The affidavit does not establish that the suspected dispute was the motive for Jaramillo’s killing.
Suspect Denied Leaving Home, Affidavit Says
During an interview with detectives, Escamilla said he was unemployed and had not left his residence in three days. He also said he had not recently ridden a bicycle.
Escamilla acknowledged owning an AR-15 rifle and a .357 revolver, according to the affidavit.
Investigators noted that no shell casings were recovered from the shooting scene. The affidavit states detectives considered that consistent with the possible use of a revolver.
When detectives questioned Escamilla about surveillance footage that appeared to show him riding a bicycle around the time of the shooting, he invoked his Fifth Amendment right and ended the interview.
Police also noted that Escamilla was wearing black shorts and a black hooded sweatshirt during the interview, clothing that investigators said was consistent with what the person in the surveillance footage appeared to be wearing.
SWAT Responded Before Arrest
Police previously said Escamilla barricaded himself inside a nearby residence following the shooting. SWAT officers responded to the scene before taking him into custody without incident Monday, according to police.
The homicide investigation remains ongoing. Escamilla is being held in Tarrant County custody on a $250,000 bond. He faces a murder charge in connection with Jaramillo’s death.
Authorities have not publicly announced a motive for the shooting.