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Man painted as mastermind in murder of former NFL player
The second man charged in the capital murder of North Texas football player Du'Vonta Lampkin began on Wednesday.
DALLAS - Testimony began on Wednesday in the capital murder trial for the suspect accused of killing former NFL and OU football player Du’Vonta Lampkin in Dallas.
During opening statements, the lead prosecutor painted Antwan Franklin as the mastermind behind the killing.
The state showed the jury social media messages as evidence, saying they proved Franklin worked with a second suspect, Erik Garcia, to rob and kill Lampkin in May of 2022.
Video featured on FOX 4’s Trackdown shows two men entering the Airbnb where Lampkin was staying in Downtown Dallas.
One man is seen leaving with Lampkin’s backpack that was filled with thousands of dollars in cash.
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Prosecutors said Franklin knew Lampkin had lots of cash on him from allegedly dealing marijuana.
"Antwan set this whole thing up. There’s going to be Instagram messages that you’re going to see between Erik Garcia and Antwan Franklin setting up this robbery," said Jacob Zachariah, the lead prosecutor. "Antwan set up this robbery so that he too could profit off of it."
Lampkin briefly played for the Tennessee Titans after three years of playing for the University of Oklahoma.
He was in the process of moving back home to North Texas when he was killed.
He was found dead by his best friend, who went to check on him the next day.
He testified he was so distraught that his girlfriend at the time, who was not with him at the apartment, had to call 911.
"He was dead when I walked in. He was dead. Eyes open, blood on the floor. He was dead," Devonaire Clarington said.
Franklin’s mother and aunt were in the courtroom on Wednesday. They told FOX 4 they’ll comment after the trial ends.
Police initially arrested a third suspect in connection to the crime. That man was acquitted earlier this year.
Garcia has yet to face trial.