Carla McMillen Otto, 19, of Fort Worth was fatally shot during an armed robbery at a Whataburger on Sycamore School Road on March 25, 1985. She was with friends when three armed men entered the restaurant and demanded money; one of the robbers shot Carla, killing her.

Investigators connected the Whataburger attack to a broader early-1985 crime spree in Fort Worth. Ronald and James Allridge, along with two accomplices, were identified as the perpetrators of the robbery and Carla’s murder. Witnesses identified Ronald Allridge as the shooter. Both brothers were arrested, charged with capital murder, and later convicted in connection with this killing and related crimes; Ronald Allridge was executed by lethal injection on June 8, 1995, and James Allridge was executed on August 26, 2004.

Carla’s death had a lasting impact on the community and highlighted the violence of the robbery spree. Does anyone have memories of the Whataburger or knew Carla or her friends that could add context to that night?