Tarrant County has been left in shock following the announcement by the medical examiner that a young woman whose body was found under a bridge in Fort Worth had been shot to death. 19-year-old Janeecia Mason’s body was discovered last month, and now investigators are searching for answers surrounding the tragedy.
Concerns remain over the circumstances surrounding the events leading up to the shooting. While a man was arrested in relation to Mason’s murder last week, the police have not yet been able to uncover the precise cause of the fatal incident.
Tensions have continued to rise as the Tarrant County medical examiner officially ruled Mason’s death a homicide due to multiple gunshot wounds. Despite her recent funeral, her family is still attempting to come to terms with her loss and are questioning if justice will be served.
Mason’s mother, Barbara Taylor, who only recently returned to North Texas after burying her daughter in Louisiana, described the tragic story. She explained that the last day she had spoken to Mason was on March 17th, and when she tried to contact her daughter in the days following their conversation, she didn’t receive a response. The authorities were soon alerted and found Mason’s body beneath a bridge in Fort Worth after an anonymous tip.
Questions still linger – from how Mason knew her assailant to how her body ended up nearly 30 miles from her last known location. The perpetrator in question, 29-year-old Joseph Aparicio, was arrested a week later for the murder and is currently being held in the Tarrant County jail.
Meanwhile, Mason’s family is desperately seeking any information the public may have. They believe she was last seen alive with a group of friends in Dallas but cannot explain what led to her fateful encounter with Aparicio.
Aparicio has a criminal record, which includes unlawful possession of a firearm in 2022. This is hardly reassuring to people like Mason’s mother, who remarked, “Did you not think she would have a big family and friends who love her? He hurt a lot of people.”
The investigation is ongoing, and the police have yet to release details on why they think Aparcio killed Mason, as well as where Mason’s murder took place. The family is calling for anyone with information to come forward and help bring closure to a truly devastating event.
