A Tarrant County jury has found 22-year-old Cameron Lavon Stephens guilty of Murder and sentenced him to 40 years in prison for the June 23, 2021, shooting death of 16-year-old Dai’trell Javione Teal.
The shooting occurred as Hurricane Harbor in Arlington was closing for the day. A man, later identified as Stephens, approached a group of people leaving the waterpark and asked if they knew a specific gang member. When the group responded that they did not, a fight broke out. Stephens retrieved a firearm and opened fire as people began to flee. Teal, a student at Martin High School, was shot in the back and killed.
Detectives later determined the incident was a case of mistaken identity. Witnesses, including a couple walking to their car and an anonymous tipster, helped lead investigators to identify Stephens as the shooter. He was arrested the following day at a convenience store in North Dallas with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case was investigated by the Arlington Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Lloyd Whelchel and Kobe Landry.
