EULESS, Texas – A Tarrant County jury has sentenced a 27-year-old man to 99 years in prison after finding him guilty of murdering a 19-year-old Arlington man during what was supposed to be a cell phone sale.
Elijah Royal was convicted of murder in the February 2022 shooting death of LaMonte’ Robert Watkins. Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Matt Hinojosa and Zachary Ashford prosecuted the case.
According to evidence presented at trial, Royal arranged to meet Watkins and Watkins’ friend, Jaylon Reed, at approximately 5:37 p.m. on Feb. 10, 2022, in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 600 block of East Ash Lane in Euless. The meeting was intended to complete the sale of a cellphone…