Suspect in OU football player's Dallas murder on the run before trial

The jury trial for a man accused of killing a former Oklahoma University football player at an Airbnb in Dallas was supposed to begin on Monday, but that's now on hold.

Authorities said 23-year-old Antwan Franklin is accused of cutting off his ankle monitor and has not been seen in two months.

Franklin is one of three suspects who were arrested and charged with capital murder in the slaying of 25-year-old Du'vanta Lampkin.

On May 5, 2022, Dallas Police responded to an apartment on 500 S. Ervay Street in downtown Dallas and found Lampkin dead with a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Lampkin was renting out an Airbnb from friends while he waited to move into his new apartment. He was supposed to check out the following day, on May 6.

Police were called to the unit after friends said Lampkin was not responding to phone calls. His black and white designer backpack, cell phone, and wallet were also missing.

Investigators would later release surveillance video of the possible suspects in the hallway near an elevator in Limpkin's building.

In July of 2022, police arrested three suspects: 23-year-old Antwan Franklin, 25-year-old Erick Garcia, and 32-year-old John Williams.

An arrest affidavit for Franklin claims Franklin and Lampkin were seen on surveillance video getting out of a car together. The document says the suspect "appeared to discreetly wave two unknown suspects to 'come on' or 'move forward' while standing outside the vehicle, and Lampkin was in the car and could not see."

According to the arrest affidavit, the two other suspects are accused of entering the building, going to the fifth floor, walking around attempting to locate Lampkin's unit, and then hiding in a stairwell.

It says Franklin left on foot as Lampkin entered the building, took the elevator, and walked to his room. The affidavit alleges two of the suspects then ambushed him and, a minute later, was seen wearing his designer backpack.

Investigators said Instagram records showed Franklin sent messages to Garcia a couple of hours before the alleged crime that Lampkin "was intoxicated and unconscious" and that Garcia needed to "rob us" because Lampkin had "a lot of money on him and his Airbnb room."

The arrest affidavit continues that Franklin is accused of messaging Garcia that Lampkin was "friendly" and had "no gun." The document states that Garcia told Franklin they were waiting, and Franklin responded that Lampkin was "coming" and "don't do it till he at door."

Franklin's bond was initially set at $500,000, and he posted part of it with the condition that he wear an ankle monitor. Court documents show the device was cut off on June 27, and he has a new arrest warrant.

Earlier this year, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed a new bill that took effect on Sept. 1, making it a crime to cut off an ankle monitor.

The bill was filled in reaction to several homicides tied to parolees who had cut off the ankle monitors and tied to other deadly crimes. Last year, two hospital workers were, most notably, shot and killed by a parolee who had permission to be at Methodist Hospital Dallas for the birth of his child. The suspect in that case was on parole for several other crimes and had cut off his ankle monitor.