Arrest made in Fort Worth slaying of West 7th area apartment maintenance employee

A 29-year-old man is facing a murder charge in the shooting death of an employee at The Marq on West 7th apartments, according to Fort Worth police and jail records and a notice posted at the apartment property.

A resident who was being evicted is accused of killing Carlos Aybar, a maintenance worker at the apartment building, on Friday night, according to the note from the apartment management and a GoFundMe for Aybar’s family.

The suspect, Devin Deron Smith, was arrested Friday night and as of Monday afternoon was being held on $150,000 bond at the Tarrant County Jail, according to police and jail records. It’s unclear whether he has an attorney.

Officers were dispatched about 5:40 p.m. Friday to The Marq on West 7th apartments, at 701 Arch Adams Lane in the Monticello neighborhood near the Cultural District, in response to a call about a shooting, according to a police report.

A woman called 911 and reported that she was working in the front office of the apartment building and a man was arguing with her over an animal control violation, according to a police call log. The woman reported that an employee had been shot and told the dispatcher that she had locked herself in a restroom and the man was standing outside the door shooting.

The GoFundMe said Aybar, 30, “died a hero protecting his coworker. He left behind a beautiful 4-year-old son, a loving mother and extended family.

“Carlos was loved by many and his heart of service and kindness was one in a million,” a relative wrote on the GoFundMe page. Funds raised will help care for his son and provide travel and financial support for his mother, who lives in the Dominican Republic, according to the fundraising site.

Notices posted across the apartment property Saturday warned residents that Smith could be released on bond and should be considered an “extremely dangerous individual.”

The notices also told residents that “there has been minimal to no communication from Fort Worth Police Department.” The note urged residents to “flood the Fort Worth police non-emergency line” with requests for information.

Police released a statement on Monday with more details of their investigation.

“Detectives found that the suspect came to the office of the apartment complex due to paperwork left on his door,” a police spokesperson said in the emailed statement. “A witness contacted the victim because the witness was afraid of the way the suspect was acting towards the witness. The victim came into the office and was attempting to get the suspect to leave the office when the suspect shot the victim multiple times.”

Smith fled the office to his apartment and was detained by officers a short time later, police said. Homicide detectives prepared an arrest warrant and Smith was transported to jail after the warrant was signed.