ARLINGTON, TX — A Tarrant County jury has delivered a life sentence to Mark Anthony Washington, a 58-year-old Oklahoma man convicted of the 2019 murder of Arlington musician Juriah Fields. The verdict, announced on March 28, 2025, brings closure to a six-year saga that began when Fields, a 29-year-old recording artist known professionally as “Juriah Jones,” was gunned down in the front yard of his south Arlington home on April 15, 2019. The Arlington Police Department’s relentless pursuit of justice in this case has earned high praise from local officials and the community alike.
A Calculated Act of Violence
Fields was found with multiple gunshot wounds outside his residence in the 600 block of Rosarita Road, near Matlock Road and Debbie Lane, just before 4 p.m. on that fateful April day. He was pronounced dead shortly after at Medical City Arlington. A neighbor reported hearing gunshots and seeing a white GMC SUV speeding away, a critical clue that would later help investigators zero in on Washington. The suspect was arrested weeks later in Little Rock, Arkansas, on an unrelated aggravated robbery charge, but Arlington police quickly linked him to Fields’ murder through a combination of toll records, cellphone data, and forensic evidence, including a 9mm Taurus handgun found in Washington’s possession that matched shell casings at the crime scene.
Court documents reveal a chilling motive rooted in personal betrayal. Fields had been in a relationship with a married woman, whose husband—Washington—blamed the musician for destroying his marriage. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Washington had threatened to abduct both his estranged wife and Fields, force them to a secluded location, and make her shoot Fields. “This was a calculated act of vengeance,” said Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells in a statement on X. “The jury’s decision ensures that Washington will never again pose a threat to our community.”
A Musician’s Legacy Cut Short
Juriah Fields, born in Flint, Michigan, and raised in Arlington since age 13, was a rising star in the local music scene. Known for his 2017 track “Run It,” filmed partly at Mansfield Timberview High School, Fields drew inspiration from R&B legends like Ready for the World, even titling his final EP after the band. “My cousin was a recording artist who loved the art of music and a man of strong faith,” Shelby McQueen-Wyman, Fields’ cousin, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in 2019. “We will carry on his vision.” Fields’ death was one of three homicides in Arlington over a 24-hour period that April, a grim statistic that underscored the city’s challenges with violent crime at the time, as reported by CBS News.
The case also highlights a broader pattern of targeted violence in Arlington. In 2020, another man, Kendell Jerrell Morris, drove from Houston to Arlington to kill his ex’s boyfriend, only to fatally shoot the wrong person, Robert Cooley III, earning a 27-year sentence, per the Dallas Morning News. These incidents have fueled ongoing discussions about community safety and the need for robust law enforcement strategies.
Arlington Police Lauded for Dedication
The Arlington Police Department’s meticulous investigation was pivotal in securing Washington’s conviction. “Thanks to the Arlington Police Department for their work on this case and for their commitment to keeping our community safe,” Sorrells noted in his statement. Detectives used toll records from Texas 360 near New York Avenue—about four miles from Fields’ home—to place Washington in the area at the time of the murder. The collaborative efforts of Assistant District Attorneys Jeff Stewart and Matthew Jackson, alongside Investigator Caleb Blanks and Victim Coordinator Imelda Lopez, ensured a airtight prosecution, as reported by Hoodline.
For Fields’ family, the life sentence offers a measure of solace after years of grief. “Juriah was more than a statistic—he was a light in our lives,” McQueen-Wyman said at a vigil last week. As Arlington continues to grapple with its history of violent crime, this case stands as a testament to the power of justice, even when delayed. The city now looks forward, hoping to honor Fields’ legacy through music and memory, while leaning on its police force to safeguard the future.
Stay updated on Arlington crime news with Arlington Network—subscribe free today!
