A Fort Worth man has been hit with a 35-year prison sentence after a Tarrant County jury convicted him of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in a 2022 apartment shooting that left his girlfriend’s son paralyzed. The 24-year-old victim was shot once in the back at a Fort Worth apartment complex on Aug. 14, 2022, and later returned to court to testify from a wheelchair during the trial. Jurors heard testimony and weighed the evidence before finding the defendant guilty, and the court imposed the sentence this week.
Jury Hands Down 35-Year Term
The defendant, identified in court records as Murphy Ward, was sentenced to 35 years in prison after a Tarrant County jury found him guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors David Elder and Matthew Mayfield tried the case, with investigator Bradley Gantt and victim coordinator Christina Rangel assisting during the proceedings.
In its public statement, the District Attorney’s Office also thanked the Fort Worth Police Department for its work on the investigation and for what it described as the officers’ commitment to keeping the community safe.
Victim’s Testimony and Courtroom Moments
During the sentencing phase, the victim, described as the girlfriend’s 24-year-old son, told jurors about the lasting impact of the shooting and the daily realities of living with paralysis. He testified from a wheelchair, describing life since he was shot in the back at the Fort Worth apartment complex on Aug. 14, 2022…