An dispute over a music artist resulted in a tragic shooting at a football watch party in Paloma Creek, a Little Elm suburb, with one man killed and another facing murder charges, according to an arrest warrant.
Corey Green, 37, is accused of obtaining a pistol during the confrontation and shooting Vernelle Wright, 40, many times, according to police. His bond amount was set at $5 million.
Victim was shot many times
The shooting occurred shortly after 9 p.m. Authorities reported that the argument spilled into the street on Monday, September 8, in the 2300 block of O’Keefe Drive.
Police discovered Wright in the street with three gunshot wounds in the back and one in the back of the head. Shell casings were discovered nearby.
Wright was transported to Baylor Scott & White Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:49 p.m. that day.
Witness describes a growing conflict
According to the warrant, a witness stated that Wright was watching a football game on television with family members when Green entered the garage.
During the party, the two started bickering about a music artist.
After the debate heated up, Green moved toward his parked car. The warrant stated that Wright followed him to the street in an attempt to de-escalate the incident. Wright shook Green’s hand and informed him that he would not be permitted to remain at the property.
The witness claims that the suspect was prepared for a conflict
A witness stated that as he moved away from the vehicle, he heard the trunk of Green’s automobile slam shut. As he and Wright approached Green, the suspect began removing his shirt, which is a frequent gesture used to prepare for a physical fight, according to the warrant.
The warrant does not identify which artist started the altercation, but it does say that Green reportedly stood over Wright and fired a final shot to the head while making a verbal threat.
Suspect returned wearing red underwear
Green fled the area but returned around 11:40 p.m., more than two hours after police were dispatched, appearing filthy with dirt, grass, and debris on his body and wearing just red underwear. He was identified and detained at the time.
It was unclear which game was being watched, but the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Chicago Bears 27-24 in NFL action that evening.
Investigation is still underway
The Little Elm Police Department, Denton County Crime Scene Unit, and Texas Rangers investigated the scene.
