Suspect Arrested In Murder Of North Texas ZTA Who Was Shot While Designated Driving On NYE

Alex Buscemi10 years ago

A suspect has been arrested in the murder of Sara Mutschlechner, 20, who was shot in the head while sober driving her friends home from a New Year’s Eve celebration in Denton, Texas.

The suspect has been identified as Cpl. Eric Jamal Johnson, a marine stationed in Arizona.

Johnson was arrested at 6:30 a.m. at North Gate of the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona, according to a statement released by the Marine Corps.

The police added that they are still in early stages of the investigation.

Mutschlechner was the designated driver for her friends on their way home from a New Year’s Eve party, when an SUV full of men pulled up next to them. Words were exchanged, friendly at first, until one of the men in the SUV made inappropriate comments about the women in the car. Things escalated from there.

The SUV fired two or three rounds at the car. Mutschlechner was struck in the head and crashed the vehicle into an electrical pole. She was found by authorities lying on the ground outside of her car at around 2 a.m. She was rushed to the hospital on life support, where she died the evening of January 1.

Mutschlechner was a junior at the University of North Texas and a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, whose national organization released the following statement on Facebook:

The ZTA chapter of UNT has come together during the difficult time. They held a prayer vigil in Sara’s honor, and are sharing their fondest memories of their beloved sister with the hashtag #SaraStrong

UNT also illuminated their iconic tower green in Sara’s honor.

The sisters created a fundraiser and a gofundme page for her family, which you can visit through the tweet below:

Thoughts and prayers to Sara’s family, her sorority sisters, and the entire UNT community..

h/t ABC News