On the night of May 12, 2023, Fahed Pops Fatayri, 82, the owner of Mom & Pops GAS station in Terrell, Texas, was shot and killed during an armed robbery at his store in the 400 block of Virginia Street. The shooting happened shortly before 11 p.m.; Terrell police arrived after a 911 call reporting shots fired and found Fatayri deceased inside the store. Officers who were nearby heard the gunfire and began searching the area, and a suspect was detained while attempting to flee south from the scene.

Investigators identified the suspect as 20-year-old Jamarco Ja Keith Blanton of Dallas. Police located a jacket and a firearm nearby, and in-store video surveillance plus witness statements were used to positively identify Blanton. He was charged with capital murder in connection with Fatayri’s death.

Fatayri and his wife, Itadel, had operated the station since 1997. Known as Pops, he was described as generous to community members, often helping people who couldn’t afford gas or food. His son Mazen said his father’s work was about more than making money. If anyone knew Pops, his routines at the station, or saw activity in the area that night, please share what can help the case.