Former Duncanville High School graduate pleads guilty to friend’s death

by Angel Morris of Duncanville TODAY

A moment of anger has left one Duncanville High School graduate dead and another behind bars.

Feb. 15, Matthew Phillips pled guilty to delivering the fatal blow that left Duncanville High School graduate Roy Hall dead Aug. 7, 2005.

“It just seems like our society is becoming so increasingly violent and that young people are so quick to anger. The result is that people die over a split-second decision made when someone is mad for little to no reason at all,” Arvid Hall, Roy's father said following the ruling in a Tarrant County court.

Arvid said that while Phillips expressed remorse during the trial, his account of the night of Roy's death differs from witnesses' testimony.

“I saw the witness testimonies and they were in direct conflict with some of the things Matthew and the defense led the jury to believe,” Arvid said,

Phillips, 25, testified that on the evening of Roy's death, he picked Roy up from his home in Duncanville and they went to City Streets, a downtown Fort Worth club.

At the club, Matthew said they ran in to some friends from Duncanville and also met four other women who later that night invited the group to a north Fort Worth home.

“A witness said that Matthew and she were in the bedroom together and that Roy came in and said he needed to leave,” Arvid said. “The witness went on to say that Matthew responded to Roy with, ‘The keys are in my pants over there.'”

Phillips' version of events indicated Roy took the keys to Phillips' rental car without his consent. Phillips later realized that Hall, another friend and his car were gone. Phillips said he phoned Hall to come back, but Hall said he was lost. Phillips said he was getting madder because he knew Roy was intoxicated.

When Roy returned, Phillips said he asked for an apology, which Roy gave while laughing. Phillips said he left angrily, but returned upon discovering alcohol had been spilled in the car and some of his marijuana was missing.

Phillips then said he and Roy argued and he pushed Roy. When Roy pushed back, Phillips said he punched Roy in the face, causing him to fall back and hit his head on the concrete.

Phillips said he knew he had knocked Hall out because he heard him snoring. He said he left again, only to return for his cell phone.

Phillips said he did not know Roy had been pronounced dead from blunt force trauma to the head, until he was later contacted by detectives.

Arvid confirmed that Roy's blood alcohol level was .205 and that he had marijuana in his system. Police were unable to report on Phillips' state that night, because he was not taken into custody until days later.

Phillips was arrested and charged with manslaughter, but a grand jury indicted him on a misdemeanor assault charge.

Tarrant County prosecutor Mark Thielman told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the grand jury determined evidence would not support a higher charge such as manslaughter or murder.

“... Presumably, they acted that way based on the clear lack of evidence, which showed that he didn't intend to do anything more than just hit his friend one time,” Thielman said. “Matthew's version of events would lead you to believe that he was the only one at that get-together that did no wrong. The witnesses give a different story,” Arvid said. “And Matthew's web space shows the same party guy after Roy died as it did beforehand, which leads me to believe he was not remorseful for what happened,” Arvid said.

Arvid was grateful the judge sentenced Phillips to the maximum penalty on the misdemeanor charge, one year in prison. Still, Arvid believes Phillips should have been tried on a felony charge of manslaughter or failure to stop and render aid because he drove away and left Roy lying on the pavement.

Thielman said failure to render aid can only be argued in traffic accidents. Phillips was convicted of assault causing bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor.

“It's my understanding that probably the most time Matthew will spend in jail is six months of the one year sentence because of constraints on the prison system,” Arvid said. “He will be in jail less than one year for taking another person's life.”

In spite of being failed by the justice system, Arvid said his family did feel for Phillips' mother.

“I think she really felt bad for what had happened,” Arvid said.

In condolences on a web page remembering Roy, friends and DHS classmates remembered him as charming, fun-loving and a joy to be around.

“I am forever grateful to have had him in our lives. Roy was a kind, generous and joyful person who always gave of himself. How lucky you are to have had him the short time you did,” the mom of one of Roy's friends wrote. “I want you to know that Roy will be in my heart forever and I will never forget his smiling eyes. You have been the most wonderful and loving parents and it showed in your son.”

Roy was a junior on the 1998 Panther state champion football team and a linebacker for the team his senior year.

While Roy and Phillips had been classmates, Arvid said they were not the best of friends as the defense depicted.

“Matthew's was not a face I recognized on sight. He and Roy were acquaintances at best,” Arvid said, noting that his son had just been promoted at work and registered for college courses. “Roy was not looking for any trouble.”

Nonetheless, the pair share a tragic story from which Arvid hopes others will learn.

“This is what violence gets you,” Arvid said. “It's never the answer Š it's just senseless.”

Duncanville TODAY is the premier source of community news for the Duncanville area.