DALLAS — Officers have arrested a suspect for the shooting and killing of a 46-year-old man near a Wells Fargo Bank location in Uptown Dallas, the Dallas Police Department said.
The reported shooting happened at about 5 p.m. on Dec. 20 in the 2200 block of McKinney Avenue, near the Maple-Routh Connection, according to police.
Roderick Butler was identified by police as the victim. Butler was found shot on the sidewalk at the location, police said.
On Dec. 27, 2023, Dallas Police said its officers had arrested Corey Antwon Thompson, 45, in the 2600 block of Bickers Street for Butler's murder.
Thompson is currently in the Dallas County jail on a $1,250,000 bond.
Butler's mother, Tonie Robinson, said she's prayed every day for an arrest.
"I was just saying Oh Lord, just help them to find him," she told WFAA Wednesday.
Police had released a photo of Thompson earlier last week before they knew his name in the hopes someone would recognize him. According to his arrest affidavit, a woman came forward who said she recognized Thompson as the man who tried to rob her days before.
That eventually led to an investigation to identify Thompson’s vehicle.
"It takes courage," Robinson said of that woman. "Because she realized there were other people who were gonna be impacted if he’s not off the streets."
One day before Dallas Police arrested Thompson, police in Balch Springs said, a different man was murdered on Christmas. Thompson’s Dallas affidavit reveals he is also a person of interest in that case.
Now Robinson prays for that victim's family too.
"That God would give them comfort," she said.
Butler was an artist who loved to rap and draw, his family said. He was also a veteran who struggled with homelessness and PTSD following his time in the service.
Robinson and Roderick's brother, Brent, told WFAA they worried that might mean his case would never be closed.
"Not having the lawyers, or the resources to keep these things moving," Brent Robinton said.
"He didn’t have like really rich parents, but he was important. And he was important to us," Tonie Robinson said.
"I never would’ve stopped praying until they found him."
Investigators believe that Thompson was also experiencing homelessness and that they believed an AR-15 gun was used to kill Butler. The weapon was not located at the scene, however.
Authorities called the shooting an isolated incident and said they did not believe a greater threat was posed to the public.
