DALLAS — A 30-year-old Texas man was indicted on a murder charge by a grand jury last week in relation to a fatal shooting of a North Texas youth pastor in March.
Joshua Andrews turned himself into Dallas police after a shooting in the 2500 block of 56th Street on March 31. Police said Andrews and 31-year-old Denzel Branch got into an argument that escalated to Andrews shooting Branch.
According to the arrest affidavit, Andrews told police he had been involved in an intimate relationship since May 2023 with Branch's ex-wife, who divorced Branch around November 2023.
After the Easter Day service, Andrews told police he "overheard Branch making comments about how he was going to beat him up." Branch allegedly punched Andrews in the face, and that's when Andrews reached for his handgun and shot Branch, according to arrest records.
Andrews confessed to police that he followed Branch and continued to shoot, “stopping when he saw (Branch) laying on the middle of the road.” Later that evening, Andrews turned himself into the Dallas Police Department for this shooting. He was taken to the Dallas County Jail and charged with murder. The grand jury indicted Andrews on the murder charge on Aug. 20.
Branch was a youth pastor at New Generation Church in Dallas. His celebration of life was held on April 6 at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas.
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