SUSPECT ARRESTED IN MIDLOTHIAN MAN’S MURDER

DESOTO – DeSoto police have arrested a suspect in last Saturday’s fatal shooting of a 34-year-old Midlothian man.

Police have charged Evan McMaryion, a 19-year-old DeSoto resident, with capital murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for the fatal shooting of Randall Thornhill, who was shot multiple times on May 15 in the 300 block of Elerson Drive in DeSoto.

McMaryion is currently facing extradition charges back to Texas from Arizona where he is in custody.

“This was another instance where good, aggressive detective work and fast follow-up on solid leads allowed us to quickly identify and ultimately apprehend a capital murder suspect,” said DeSoto Police Chief Joe Costa.

This is not the first time McMaryion has had trouble with the law. He was arrested in October and December 2020 by DeSoto Police, and at least once in Titus County on charges of unauthorized use of vehicle and possession of a controlled substance. 

In DeSoto, he was arrested for assault by threats-family violence, evading arrest detention and unauthorized use of vehicle.

Thornhill was shot multiple times while in his vehicle waiting at the gate of a home for entry inside the property. Also in the car Thornhill was driving were Heather French, 29 also a resident of Midlothian who was wounded but did not have life-threatening injuries, and a five-year-old unharmed child who was in the back seat of the vehicle.

DeSoto Police Chief Joe Costa said at a press conference Saturday revealing the name of the suspect that he is also working with the City of DeSoto on a gun buyback program to help reduce violence.

Costa said many of the guns used to commit crimes come from thefts.

“People leave their cars unlocked and have guns, purses, credit cards stolen,”Costa concluded. 

“McMaryion and guys like him check car doors for unlocked cars and they don’t even have to break in a car window.”