Students, campus police distribute flyers seeking information in murder of SMU student
DALLAS - A group of SMU students and police officers were in Downtown Dallas Saturday afternoon to pass out flyers and help how they could in an effort to bring justice for Robert “Jayden” Urrea, who was murdered in the early morning hours of Halloween.
“It’s incredible to think where he is now after talking to him just a few hours before the incident,” Jake Ramzy said.
Urrea was gunned down at the intersection of Harwood and Jackson streets in Downtown Dallas.
The 19-year-old’s family said he called them to say he was catching a rideshare back to campus.
Police said he was walking down the street when a vehicle pulled up. The vehicle is believed to be a white 4-door, possibly a Ford, with a sunroof and custom wheels.
Family said they’ve seen surveillance footage that shows the car capturing the 19-year-old’s attention, but as he turned toward the car, he was shot in the chest at close range.
His family believes it was a drive-by shooting, unprovoked, and committed by strangers.
“Someone out here, even this weekend, was there last weekend and might remember something or know something,” said Jesse Carr, with the SMU Police Department.
Urrea was a musician. He made friends playing open mics in Deep Ellum. Elle Christine lived two doors down from him on SMU’s campus.
“The first time I met him, it just felt I had already known him,” she said. “I was, like, having a really rough night and I met him and I sat with him on a bench outside of our dorm for like half an hour.”
She said Urrea was sensitive, understanding, and lifted her mood.
“And it just really made my night brighter,” Christine said.
A $25,000 reward is on the table. The group that was out handing out flyers Saturday believes someone knows something about the vehicle involved and who was inside it.
“I think when we learned about it, we were all just really in shock,” SMU student Charlotte Reardon said.
Their hope is that whoever knows something, will say something about who killed Urrea.
There's a vigil for Urrea set for Sunday at Perkins Chapel on the SMU campus.
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