UPDATED: Godley man arrested in connection with after-prom party shooting death
Apr. 20—With one arrest made so far, investigation continues into a Sunday morning shooting near Godley.
Police arrested Spencer Gilbert, 19, of Godley later that same day in Houston in connection with a shooting that occurred at an after-prom party. A murder warrant against Gilbert was expected to be issued later today, Johnson County Sheriff Adam King said Thursday morning.
Gilbert was still in Houston as of Thursday morning, King said, but will soon be transported back to Johnson County.
"Houston has him on a no bond on a revocation of probation and evading with a vehicle and additional Houston police charges and we have a hold on his name for Johnson County," he said.
Additional Johnson County charges against Gilbert may be forthcoming.
Officers from Godley, Joshua and JCSO responded to reports of fighting and/or a shooting at 1:25 a.m. Sunday to the 600 block of County Road 913.
Upon arrival they found a 20-year-old Venus man later identified as Ja'Den Moblin laying in the backyard of the residence. Moblin had been shot several times, King said.
Officers rendered aid until paramedics arrived at which time they transported Moblin to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth.
King said the Moblin remained alive for several days after the shooting but in critical condition. Moblin appears to have been an organ donor. Moblin died at 3 a.m. Wednesday morning at which time police upgraded Gilbert's charges to murder.
The shooter fled the scene with a 17-year-old male. It remains to be determined, King said, whether the other person was an accomplice or a victim of kidnapping.
JCSO detectives tracked the 17-year-old's phone to Houston and alerted the Houston Police Department.
Houston officers located a vehicle matching the description a short time later. The driver led police on a short chase of about a mile and a half after which Gilbert exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Police apprehended and arrested him shortly after. Police also confiscated a gun believed to have been used in the shooting. Gilbert admitted to the murder while being interviewed by a Texas ranger, police said.
Investigation continues and questions remain unanswered as of Thursday, King said. Questions such as what led to the confrontation, whether the victim and shooter knew each other and the role of the 17-year-old who accompanied Gilbert to Houston.
"We're still looking into a lot of things," King said. "This is a big investigation stretching from here to Houston but we're working on getting things figured out."
