Police in Farmers Branch and the Texas Rangers are working to unravel the details of the abduction of a man from Dallas and two teenagers, which culminated in his execution.
The children were left abandoned on the side of the interstate in a different city, and the victim's vehicle was subsequently discovered dumped an hour away, as reported by the Farmers Branch Police Department.
Three suspects remain at large and may be traveling in a light-colored 4-door sedan.
“We don’t believe this was random,” said Lt. Terry Eoff of the Farmers Branch Police Department. "It’s definitely unusual and it’s definitely disturbing. Anytime anyone is killed, it’s disturbing."
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Eoff spoke with members of the media Tuesday afternoon, revealing only scant details about what they regard as an 'isolated' attack that started at the Forest Ridge Apartments in North Dallas.
The victim, 33-year-old Nilzuly Petit from Dallas, was reportedly driving his friend's black Toyota 4-Runner around midnight on Saturday. Petit was returning to the apartment complex on Fair Oaks Crossing with two teenagers after attending a party.
Police won’t disclose any details about the party and won't say whether the victim and teens are related.
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“Through our investigation, we found he was abducted along with two teenagers from some apartments on Fair Oaks Crossing in Dallas,” Eoff said.
Over the next three hours, police say, the victims were switched to a white or beige 4-door car ending up in the 1100 block of Valley View Lane in Farmers Branch, where police say Petit was shot in the head. His body was left on the scene.
A motorist reported a body at about 3:40 a.m. Petit had been shot sometime between 3:00 and 3:40 a.m.
“The two juveniles were then transported to Lewisville on I-35 and Corporate where they were let out of the vehicle,” said Eoff. They were observed by a Lewisville police officer walking on the service road.”
The minors were ‘medically cleared’ and have spoken with police.
"They are cooperating with us. I’m not at liberty to tell you what they told us,” said Eoff.
The 4-Runner the victim had been driving, was later found dumped about an hour east of Lewisville, in the city of Greenville.
“We have three suspects, Hispanic males there were two in the vehicles, who took him and then we know there’s a third one who drove the vehicle and switched it out,” said Eoff.
Eoff won’t say who lived in the Dallas apartments, or if they believe this is drug or gang-related, and would not discuss what they’ve learned about the victim.
“Nothing we’re able to give you at this point,” he said.
Farmers Branch PD is pleading for help from any witnesses, especially in Lewisville and Greenville.
“If anybody saw the light-colored sedan when they were letting the kids out of the vehicle [in Lewisville] or if they saw when they dumped the 4-runner in Greenville,” said Eoff.
Any witnesses or those with information about the incident are asked to contact the Farmers Branch Police Department at (972) 919-1406 or via email at pdinfoandtips@farmersbranchtx.gov.
FBPD says if a Spanish-only speaker has information in this case, they can leave a message and a Spanish-speaking officer will contact them.
