Xavier Hullaby

Xavier Hullaby was a 15-year-old Black teenager from Fort Worth, Texas, described by his family as a good kid and a good student. His mother, Maryta Smith, said, “If you met him, if you knew him, you loved him.” Xavier had recently taken up boxing as a hobby and was passionate about his new pursuit. His mother later reflected on her loss, saying, “I can’t really wrap my mind around the fact that I have to bury a child.”

On the evening of Memorial Day, May 29, 2023, Xavier was returning home from a boxing session. Around 6:30 p.m., as he walked through a breezeway at the Arwen Apartments on Joshua Drive where he lived with his family, he was attacked. He was shot multiple times, with wounds coming from two different guns. First responders found the teenager deceased in the breezeway and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Fort Worth police launched a homicide investigation. On October 1, 2023, authorities arrested 18-year-old Dwayne Gould in connection with the murder. Sources later revealed that Gould was a former friend of Xavier’s who had threatened him following an angry encounter. In the wake of the shooting, Xavier’s mother had pleaded for justice, stating, “I'm hurting and I want answers.” She also spoke out against the senselessness of youth violence, saying, “I’m tired of it not just for my child, I'm tired of it for other children too.”

Dwayne Gould was later convicted of murder for his role in Xavier Hullaby’s death and was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Another defendant involved in the case also received a 17-year sentence. A juvenile accomplice was given a 35-year determinate sentence, but a judge ordered his release to parole supervision after he had served 14 months in custody. As of the sentencing of the individuals responsible, the case is considered solved.