Dallas man’s body was recovered four days later. Investigators say his friends spent that time getting rid of evidence

What first appeared to be an accidental drowning has turned into a much deeper criminal investigation. When 18-year-old Daniel Erving disappeared beneath the waters of Lake Ray Hubbard in April, authorities initially ruled his death an accident. However, investigators now believe the actions taken immediately afterward raise serious questions that remain unanswered.

Daniel, an honor roll student and swim team member, had been spending time with two friends when all three jumped from a railroad bridge into the lake. The other two made it back safely, but Daniel never resurfaced. According to the NY Post, his body was recovered on April 17, four days after he disappeared, and the medical examiner later ruled that he had died from an accidental drowning.

Even with that ruling, the investigation did not stop. Detectives say what happened after Daniel went missing has become the focus of the case, and his family now believes those actions deserve far more serious charges than the ones currently filed.

It is claimed to be an accident

Dallas police arrested 19-year-old Lucas Roper on July 9 on a third-degree felony charge of tampering with physical evidence. A 17-year-old juvenile was also implicated in the investigation, though the teen’s identity has not been made public.

Investigators allege that after Daniel drowned, the two left the scene instead of reporting what had happened. Court records state that Roper threw Daniel’s clothing into a nearby tree line, while the juvenile allegedly discarded Daniel’s cellphone into a roadside ditch after being instructed to do so. Detectives also say Roper deleted messages exchanged with Daniel because he believed there would be an investigation and did not want to get into trouble.

Detectives also claim Roper deleted messages exchanged with Daniel because he believed there would be an investigation and did not want to get into trouble. During a voluntary interview with detectives on April 20, Roper reportedly admitted that he panicked after Daniel went underwater.

The family’s attorney, Sean Daredia, is now urging the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office to present the case to a grand jury for possible homicide charges. He argues that if the drowning was genuinely accidental, there would have been no reason to flee the scene, dispose of evidence, or delete communications. This is not the only case involving the death of a teen. Recently, a 19-year-old was found shot dead in a Phoenix Costco parking lot.

He also criticized the fact that Daniel’s body remained at the bottom of the lake for four days while, he says, the two teens continued with their daily lives. Questions over how accidental deaths should be handled have surfaced in other cases as well, including one where a teen accidentally killed their teacher.

The investigation is still active. Dallas Police took over the case after an initial jurisdictional overlap with the Rowlett Police Department. Authorities have declined to discuss additional details because of the ongoing criminal case, while Rowlett officials say they continue assisting investigators as requested.