Murder in Arlington after playful fight leads to 15 years in prison for Dallas man

A Dallas man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for killing another man on an Arlington street in 2020 after the two had been drinking and playfully fought each other.

In a plea agreement, 41-year-old Romus Motton pleaded guilty to murder last week in 396th Criminal District Court in Fort Worth.

Motton shot to death 40-year-old Wiley Harper on May 3, 2020, on an Arlington street.

Motton was arrested without incident in Dallas a few days after the fatal shooting. Initially, Motton was listed as being from Greenville, Mississippi, but Tarrant County criminal court records showed that he was from Dallas.

“While the loss of life is always a terrible thing, Wiley Harper was a violent man who had been in and out of jail for shootings and aggravated assaults and had just been released from the Tarrant County jail a day earlier,” said Lex Johnston of Fort Worth, Motton’s attorney, in a Thursday email. “Mr. Motton had a reasonable fear for his life, but accepted a 15-year sentence to avoid the risk of taking his self-defense case to a Tarrant County jury.”

An arrest warrant obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram after Motton was taken into custody provided these details:

The fight and shooting occurred after a day of drinking in an Arlington neighborhood in the 600 block of McQueary Street.

Before the fight, Harper, Motton and another man were friendly and drinking beer, the warrant says. At some point, Harper and Motton were on the street drinking beer that belonged to the third man. That man became upset and pointed a handgun at Harper’s head, according to the warrant.

Harper told him, “if you are going to kill me, then kill me,” but the man put the handgun in his pocket and left the scene, the warrant states.

After having the handgun pointed at him, Harper became upset and was on the ground crying on the street, witnesses told police. Motton tried to comfort Harper, but the two began arguing. Motton raised his shirt and revealed that he was in possession of a handgun, according to the warrant.

Harper asked if Motton and the other man planned on killing him, and Motton said no, witnesses told police.

Harper and Motton returned to drinking, but minutes later got into a playful argument over the alcohol, the warrant states.

Motton became upset, but Harper said, “I’m your homeboy. I’m not going to hurt you,” the warrant states.

Motton was embarrassed, and grew angrier, witnesses told police. Harper walked away as Motton pulled out his handgun and pointed it at Harper, according to the warrant.

Harper slapped it away, causing the weapon to fall to the ground. The men wrestled and fought for the weapon. Motton gained possession of the handgun and shot Harper, according to the warrant.

After being shot, Harper yelled at Motton, “You better hope you kill me,” the warrant stated. Motton walked over to the victim and held to the gun to Harper’s head, the warrant says, but Motton fled the scene when a friend told him to leave.

Harper, who was shot in the abdomen, was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead, police said.

Days after the shooting, Arlington detectives received a cell phone video of the fight and shooting.