Texas teenager, 18, is arrested over murder of Surface actor Eddie Hassell after he was shot in random robbery outside his girlfriend's apartment
A Texas teenager has been arrested over the murder of Surface actor Eddie Hassell after he was shot in random robbery outside his girlfriend's apartment Sunday.
D'Jon Antone, 18, is being held on capital murder charges, the Grand Prairie Police Department said Thursday after his arrest Wednesday. His bond is set at $500,000.
Hassell, 30, was shot several times in Grand Prairie at 1.50am on Sunday in what police say was a random robbery. Officer Mark Beseda said: 'We believe that this was a robbery gone bad.'
Antone does not live in Grand Prairie and the case is being referred to the Tarrant County District Attorney's office.
The Grand Prairie Police Department had already said that the car that was taken from the scene has been recovered. They said the car did not belong to Hassell.
Hassell is best known for playing Phil Nance in Surface for a number of episodes. His girlfriend Elizabeth Martin, a make-up artist, paid tribute to him on Instagram. She was inside the home at the time and did not see the attacker.
D'jon Antone, left, has been arrested over the murder of Surface actor Eddie Hassell, right, after he was shot in random robbery outside his girlfriend's apartment Sunday
She wrote: 'You were dearer to me than all the bats in all the caves in the world @eddie_hassell. I loved you more than the sky in Texas.
'You made me more mad than anyone I've ever met, and I loved every ounce of you for it. Rest in Peace. You'll always have my heart.'
In another post she added: 'I’ll see you on the other side of that skate barn in the sky, Cowboy. I’ll always love you.'
She was an associate producer and key make-up artist on the 2017 movie Bomb City, which Hassell starred in.
Mark Ruffalo, who starred in The Kids Are All Right with Hassell, paid tribute to Hassell Monday saying: 'Rest in Peace, Eddie. More senseless gun violence. It's a plague on our nation. This should not be our reality.'
Police were called to the scene by neighbors who came to Hassell's assistance. They gave Hassell CPR at the scene before he was transported to hospital. He later died of his injuries.
Hassell moved from Texas to Los Angeles when he was just 11 years old to pursue his Hollywood career.
He broke into the entertainment industry during the early 2000s and continued to rack up TV and movie gigs over the years, with his most recent credits coming in 2017.
He is best known for playing Phil Nance in Surface for a number of episodes.
His character was the best friend of teenager Carter Jenkins, who finds an egg off the coast of the Carolinas that hatches into an aquatic lizard with mysterious powers.
He also starred as Eddie Suarez in Lifetime's Devious Maids for a period along with cameos on shows including Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Southland and Bones.
Hassell was born on July 16, 1990 in Corsicana, Texas.
He held several small roles throughout the 2000s and 2010s, most notably as Clay in the 2010 film The Kids Are All Right, starring Julianne Moore and Ruffalo.
The Kids Are All Right earned a best picture nomination at the 2011 Oscars.
Mark Ruffalo, who starred in The Kids Are All Right with Hassell, paid tribute to him Monday saying: 'Rest in Peace, Eddie. More senseless gun violence. It's a plague on our nation. This should not be our reality'
Chris Espinosa, one of Apple's first employees who Hassell portrayed in the 2013 Steve Jobss biopic Jobs, also shared a tribute Monday saying: 'This is such a tragedy, and senseless'
Hassell acted alongside Ashton Kutcher in the 2013 Steve Jobs biopic Jobs, playing 16-year-old Chris Espinosa, one of Apple’s first employees.
Chris Espinosa also shared a tribute to Hassell Monday saying: 'This is such a tragedy, and senseless.'
Hassell was also said to have been an avid surfer and skateboarder.
'Skateboarding's been a huge part of my life, it also got me cast in commercials. I was into horseback riding and rodeos in Texas and when I moved to L.A., I got into skating. I did all my own stunts. I'm into anything with a board: surfing, wakeboarding,' he said in a 2013 interview with Elle.
Along with his Hollywood projects, Hassell was a published author. In 2009, he released his book Someone Should Tell You: Startling Revelations and Truths to Help You Understand and Improve Your Life.
He was shot in the stomach around 1.50am outside his girlfriend's Grand Praire, Texas apartment. Hassell's girlfriend Elizabeth Martin, a make-up artist, shared this photo of them together on Sunday on Instagram in a tribute following his death
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