An arrest affidavit alleges evidence was discarded and phone communications deleted after 18-year-old Daniel Erving entered the lake.
DALLAS, Texas — A 19-year-old man has been charged with tampering with physical evidence nearly three months after a teenager drowned in Lake Ray Hubbard, according to police records and an arrest affidavit.
Dallas police arrested Lucas Roper on July 9 in connection with the death of 18-year-old Daniel Erving. Investigators allege Roper discarded or directed another person to discard Erving’s belongings after the teen entered the water April 13. Erving’s body was recovered from the lake four days later.
The charge does not accuse Roper of causing Erving’s death. It centers on allegations that evidence connected to the events at the lake was removed and that communications between Roper and Erving were deleted. Roper is presumed innocent unless proved guilty in court.
According to the affidavit, Roper, Erving and a 17-year-old boy went to Lake Ray Hubbard near Miller Road in Rowlett for fishing and swimming. Investigators said the three jumped from a bridge into the lake and Erving did not make it out of the water.
The affidavit alleges Roper and the younger boy left without immediately reporting what had happened. Investigators said Erving’s clothes were thrown into a tree line near the bridge. The affidavit also alleges that Erving’s cellphone was thrown from Roper’s vehicle as the two drove away.
Rowlett police later recovered the clothes and cellphone, according to the affidavit. Investigators reviewing the phone found calls and messages between Erving and Roper from the day Erving disappeared. Those communications concerned plans to go fishing and swimming at the lake, the affidavit said.
Police said a search of Roper’s phone showed that his communications with Erving had been deleted. Roper told investigators that he removed the exchanges because he knew authorities would investigate Erving’s death and he feared getting into trouble, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit said Dallas police interviewed Roper at Sachse High School on April 20. Investigators allege he acknowledged leaving the lake and directing the 17-year-old to throw Erving’s phone from the vehicle. The younger person later told police that Roper threw Erving’s clothing into the tree line, according to the document.
Roper was booked on one count of tampering with physical evidence and was granted a $10,000 bond, according to jail records cited by CBS News Texas. Publicly available reports did not identify an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Rowlett police initially handled the missing-person investigation after Erving was reported missing. Dallas police later took responsibility for the investigation into his death. Authorities have not publicly announced a finding that the drowning was caused by criminal conduct.
The status of the 17-year-old remained unclear. A community advocate said the juvenile had been taken into custody, but that claim had not been independently confirmed in the available official records. Police also had not announced whether additional charges were being considered.
Erving’s relatives and community advocates had sought updates from authorities in the months after his death. They called for investigators to determine what happened at the lake, why authorities were not immediately notified and whether anyone violated the law after Erving disappeared beneath the water.
The investigation remains open. Police have not released further information about the circumstances of the drowning or announced a court date in Roper’s evidence-tampering case.
Author note: Last updated July 12, 2026.