Police: Houston-Area Man Used Gay Dating App to Lure, Rob, Kill Victim

A Spring man is accused of posing as gay to lure another man via a dating app in order to rob and kill him, according to local authorities.

Devonte Garrison, 22, appeared in court on April 29, and was charged with capital murder after deputies said he robbed, shot, and killed Adrian Ward, 30, KPRC-2 reported.

Ward was shot multiple times on April 19 while driving, causing him to roll and crash into the Excelsior on the Park apartments on Ella Boulevard and Greenwell Drive. Responding deputies removed Ward from the vehicle and transported him to a hospital, where he later died.

Authorities believe Ward drove to the complex to meet Garrison, who was captured on surveillance video getting out of Ward’s vehicle and firing multiple shots into it.

Authorities had no motive for the shooting at first, until a tip pointed them to Garrison. A woman named Bunny told police she spoke with Ward, who referred to himself as Arzue, on the Tagged app.

Bunny said that Arzue––who authorities later identified as Garrison––bragged about the killing. Garrison told Bunny he “hated homosexuals” and that he lured a man, who is presumed to be Ward, to his apartment under the guise that they would have sex.  

Bunny said that Garrison told her he robbed Ward of his cellphone while he was inside of Ward’s vehicle. The tip led authorities to Garrison, who was taken to Harris County Jail where he is being held without bond.

Garrison’s next court date is scheduled for May 1.