TX -- Mary Spears, 53, murdered by estranged husband after LE took him to her house despite protection order. Arlington. 22 Sept 2025

[vls12345]

Arlington police gave murder suspect ride to estranged wife's home despite protective order; department launches review

The department says it is reviewing whether officers followed proper procedures after transporting Frederick Spears to the home of Mary Spears days before her death.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[vls12345]

Family mourns mother's death as Arlington police review ride given to murder suspect: "She was an amazing woman"

Officers drove Frederick Spears to his estranged wife's home despite a protective order. Days later, she was found stabbed to death.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[vls12345]

Homicide Investigation - Report #2025-02650175

The Arlington Police Department has made an arrest in connection to the murder of 53-year-old Mary Spears, who was stabbed at her home in the 1000 block of Shortleaf Pine Drive on September 22, 2025.

www.arlingtontx.gov

 

[vls12345]

The 55-year-old man accused of killing his estranged wife at her Arlington home on Monday had been arrested on a family violence charge and bonded out four days before the fatal stabbing, police said.

Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article312244311.html#storylink=cpy

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article312244311.html

 

[jypsijemini]

My Opinion Only:

By combining the information from both the homicide report and the CBS interview with Mary Spears' son, it appears that Frederick Spears threatened his own son (AS) in the Sept. 17 incident, and that his son (AS) was the "family member" who Frederick contacted on the morning of Sept. 22 which led AS to go check on Mary.

In his interview, AS appears to recall how he found his mother in the yard. He talks about the way she was "staring" and notes that she had a "towel over her neck", which he speculated was because she had been "struggling trying to stop the blood". From the way these statements are worded, it suggests to me that AS was the one who found her and therefore was also the "family member" who was contacted.

What hits me so hard about this case is that not only was the perpetrator, Frederick Spears, so violently and ongoingly abusive towards his own son, but after murdering his estranged wife, he decided to contact AS - which I assume was to make sure that AS would be the one to find Mary.

IMO Frederick wanted to make his son suffer indefinitely.

What a calculated, heinous and cruel thing to do to his own child.

And to top it all off, Frederick Spears tried desperately to take the coward's way out when LE caught up with him. He wanted to deny his & Mary's remaining family any sense of justice on top of the grief and anguish and trauma he intentionally and knowingly put them through. Just wanted to leave them all to suffer alone.

Again, JMO.

 

[jypsijemini]

Archived Inmate Record for Arlington

(to find this result, search begin date 09/18/2025)

 

[jypsijemini]

Archived Inmate Record for Arlington

(to find this result, search begin date 09/18/2025)

View attachment 616578

Searched the charge code (as I'm Australian and had no idea what it meant).

Google's AI Overview states:

Texas Penal Code Section 22.02(a)(2) defines the crime of aggravated assault by stating that a person commits the offense if they commit an assault and they use or exhibit a deadly weapon during the commission of that assault. This offense is a felony, carrying significant penalties, though the specific degree (first or second) depends on other factors.

What it Means

• Assault: The base offense is "assault," defined in § 22.01 of the Texas Penal Code.
  
  
• Aggravated by Deadly Weapon: The key element here is the use or display of a deadly weapon.
  
  
• Deadly Weapon: A deadly weapon is generally any object used or capable of being used in a manner that is intended to cause death or serious bodily injury, or that is used in a way that would be likely to produce death or serious bodily injury.
  

Penalties

• The penalty for this offense is a felony.
  
  
• It is generally a second-degree felony, but can be elevated to a first-degree felony under specific circumstances, such as if it's committed against a family member.
  

Examples

• Using a firearm to threaten someone during an assault.
• Brandishing a knife in a manner intended to cause harm.

I also searched for "can you get bail for aggravated assault in texas" and again, Google AI Overview states:

Yes, you can typically get bail for aggravated assault in Texas, but it is a serious felony charge, meaning bail amounts are generally high and can be denied in certain circumstances. The judge will consider factors like the severity of the crime and the defendant's history to set a bail amount, with typical ranges for aggravated assault bonds from $10,000 to $50,000 and higher. A criminal defense attorney can help navigate the process, negotiate the bail amount, or pursue other options like a plea deal.

Interestingly, it also said:

Bail Denial

• Domestic Violence: In some cases, especially involving domestic violence, a judge may deny bail if they determine the defendant posed a family violence threat.

I'd really like to know just how "On September 18, 2025, Mr. Spears posted bond and was released from custody." Arlington Homicide Investigation Report - especially when Sept. 18 was the same day he was booked (?)

Weirdly enough, while writing this post, the Arlington Police Department Jail Blotter Search results for Frederick Spears have just been updated. He isn't listed on the Jail Inmates List, however these are the charges under his name now:

 

[Marlowe93]

I would like to hear the argument that his attorney gave to get him bonded out.

Orders of Perotection aren't worth the paper they're printed on. That was actually the subject/theme of a short story I wrote last year. I had read an article about something similar happening and needed to get my feelings down on paper.

I agree with the above - he sent his son to find her deliberately to make the kid suffer.

 

[jypsijemini]

FOX 4 KDFW

"On Monday morning, Ashton Spears got out of bed, he looked out in the backyard and his mom, Mary Spears, was stabbed to death.

"I felt so bad because my mom is laying there dead, and I’m still looking around so scared. I don’t know if he’s here or hiding," said Ashton.

55-year-old Frederick Spears is now charged with murder, accused of fatally stabbing his estranged wife.

Their 19-year-old son Ashton says on Monday morning his dad entered through the side gate and also texted him a bizarre, aggressive text, reading:

"I should never came back to help her, but I did not learn my lesson, so the one you all took advantage of and pushed too far returns favor."

 

[sunspun]

But why did the police give him a ride to her house?

Why would they be giving him a ride anywhere for that matter?

Was this right when he was released from jail?

Were they not aware of the P.O.?

Was this in a small town where cops maybe routinely act as free taxis??

 

[jypsijemini]

"I should never came back to help her, but I did not learn my lesson, so the one you all took advantage of and pushed too far returns favor."

MOO:

I'm certainly no expert, but the message Frederick Spears sent to his son after (allegedly) murdering his wife is really telling to me.

"I should have never come back to help her, but I did not learn my lesson" - I believe he wanted to be seen as helpful, generous, walked-over, taken advantage of, victimised, unappreciated, neglected, used & abused etc.

"I did not learn my lesson" is a "poor me" sob story intended to place the blame back on his victim/s. He isn't admitting that he shouldn't have been as kind/helpful/generous (as he thinks he was) nor is he accepting that he's responsible for his own suffering.

FS describes himself as, "the one you all took advantage of and pushed too far". This is how he perceived himself and the way he felt he was being treated by "you all" (likely referring to the entire family?) And "pushed too far" is an attempt to again shame the victim/s and flip the blame back onto them. He's cruelly insinuating "you brought this on yourselves".

And lastly, he (tries to) justify his actions - "returns favor". He thinks there's a parallel between (allegedly) murdering Mary and the way he believes he was treated.

The audacity to describe his (alleged) actions as "return(ing the) favor" makes my blood run cold.

JMO.

 

[jypsijemini]

But why did the police give him a ride to her house?

Why would they be giving him a ride anywhere for that matter?

Was this right when he was released from jail?

Were they not aware of the P.O.?

Was this in a small town where cops maybe routinely act as free taxis??

From what I could make our from the articles available, Frederick Spears was arrested on the 18th of September for a domestic violence incident which happened on the 17th. Subsequently, he posted bond and was released on the same day he was arrested.

After his release, he inquired at the Ott Cribbs Public Safety Center (which houses the police station) about getting a ride back to Mary Spears' home to retrieve his vehicle. An officer drove him there and upon arriving, Frederick got into a verbal altercation with family members at the home. He was instructed by the officer to leave, and he complied.

ARLINGTON Homicide Investigation Report

There certainly may have been breaches of policy and procedure here by the Arlington PD, as either they knew about the PO and ignored it, or didn't check at all. Sure, it may just have been "human error" where those Frederick spoke to at the station had no knowledge of his crime and the PO against him, but it definitely raises questions about their policies and procedures.

As to why the PD offers rides, who knows... I'm wondering the same thing.

All JMO.

 

[sunspun]

From what I could make our from the articles available, Frederick Spears was arrested on the 18th of September for a domestic violence incident which happened on the 17th. Subsequently, he posted bond and was released on the same day he was arrested.

After his release, he inquired at the Ott Cribbs Public Safety Center (which houses the police station) about getting a ride back to Mary Spears' home to retrieve his vehicle. An officer drove him there and upon arriving, Frederick got into a verbal altercation with family members at the home. He was instructed by the officer to leave, and he complied.

ARLINGTON Homicide Investigation Report

There certainly may have been breaches of policy and procedure here by the Arlington PD, as either they knew about the PO and ignored it, or didn't check at all. Sure, it may just have been "human error" where those Frederick spoke to at the station had no knowledge of his crime and the PO against him, but it definitely raises questions about their policies and procedures.

As to why the PD offers rides, who knows... I'm wondering the same thing.

All JMO.

Thanks for clarifying! But so the officer told him to leave, and he did? So I guess he must have come back when no cops were around?

 

[Kittypoo]

Thanks for clarifying! But so the officer told him to leave, and he did? So I guess he must have come back when no cops were around?

Someone (ex husband) with this penchant for violence, disregard for the law didn’t care about the protection order anyway in my opinion.
No excuse for the PD not following procedures though if that is what happened.

 

[jypsijemini]

Thanks for clarifying! But so the officer told him to leave, and he did? So I guess he must have come back when no cops were around?

No worries

Yeah, from the Investigation Report, it sounds like the officer who drove him home hung around and potentially witnessed the altercation which took place at the home, IMO. The same officer who escorted FS instructed him to leave.

Which makes me question why the officer felt the need to stay - does this mean that particular officer WAS aware FS had a PO against him? Does Texas law allow officers to accompany people to the residences they're barred from on a PO? If not, this officer sure has some 'xplainin' to do! (IMO)

Frederick Spears reportedly left willingly on the 18th and allegedly returned to the residence on Monday the 22nd and is believed to have killed Mary that morning. Haven't seen details that confirm where the murder took place but she was found by her son in the backyard apparently after he received a text from FS which I quoted above.

From his statements, the son appears to believe that Frederick Spears was responsible and the text seems to confirm that, IMO. He also allegedly sent texts to other family members as well. Annnd Frederick Spears began stabbing himself when he was later tracked down by LE, and the report indicates that it took tasers, non-lethal rounds and a K9 to subdue him. Seems like a man with a guilty conscience to me (MOO)

Arlington Police records show that he's been charged with murder as well as a number of other offences (links & screenshots up thread).

JMO.

 

[nao]

Moo...you do get to pick up your possessions even if there a restraining order. But you get accompanied by the police, because there is a restraining order, police are there to keep the peace. I do not see the police did anything wrong. If the police informed her they were returning to collect auto, then sounds like normal way it is done...moo

 

[jypsijemini]

Moo...you do get to pick up your possessions even if there a restraining order. But you get accompanied by the police, because there is a restraining order, police are there to keep the peace. I do not see the police did anything wrong. If the police informed her they were returning to collect auto, then sounds like normal way it is done...moo

Ah yep, that makes sense.

Which likely explains why the department hasn't reported issuing any reprimands for that incident and says they're going to review their policies and procedures. MOO.

Thank you. That honestly hadn't occurred to me.