Arlington dealership owner shot while trying to repo car dies; suspect faces murder charge

A local car dealership owner, who was shot while trying to repossess a vehicle earlier this week, has died.

Adel Elhindawi, 52, died in an Arlington hospital’s Neuro Trauma ICU on Thursday afternoon.

Elhindawi was shot Monday afternoon in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 2600 block of Alexis Avenue in Arlington. A 31-year-old man was arrested Wednesday in connection to the shooting.

Brian Espy had faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated robbery. His charges will be upgraded to murder following Elhindawi’s death, Arlington police said on Friday morning, adding that 24-year-old Quyanna Massie has also been arrested in connection to the incident.

An employee at Salem Autos told police that the dealership had sold Epsy a vehicle about a month ago and that the 31-year-old had brought the vehicle back because of mechanical issues. The dealership had lent Epsy a Jeep while they fixed his car and the 31-year-old had never returned the temporary car, according to Epsy’s arrest warrant affidavit.

“[Epsy] stated he was working and had his mother pick up the [car]. After Epsy’s mother picked up the car, [Elhindawi] realized the black Jeep had not been returned,” the warrant said.

Elhindawi and an employee later used a tracking device to locate the Jeep and went to the apartment complex to pick up the vehicle they had loaned Epsy, police said.

“After using a spare key to enter the Jeep, the employee told investigators he saw Mr. Espy running towards them holding a gun. Mr. Espy then fired several shots in their direction,” Tim Ciesco, a spokesperson for the police department, said. “The employee drove the repossessed Jeep out of the complex and parked around the corner, waiting for the victim. As the victim tried to leave the complex, Mr. Espy fired multiple shots, striking and critically injuring the victim.”

Epsy fled the scene in a car driven by Massie, police said, adding that the pair “pulled up near the employee who was around the corner waiting in the repossessed Jeep.”

“[Epsy] exited the front passenger seat and pointed a handgun at the [employee],” the warrant added. “The [employee] pleaded with [Epsy] not to shoot him.”

The employee then put the keys in the driver’s seat and Epsy entered the vehicle. The warrant said that the employee was able to take a picture of Epsy and write down the license plate number of the vehicle driven by Massie.

Another witness, who was a resident at the apartment complex, also identified Epsy as the shooter and identified Massie’s vehicle.

Following Epsy’s arrest, he told police that he was at Massie’s apartment throwing out trash and had returned when Massie said that someone was getting into the Jeep, according to the affidavit.

“According to Epsy, he ran toward Massie and retrieved a gun from Massie’s hip and ran west in the apartment complex. Epsy stated he shot at the victim in the black Jeep as the Jeep passed Espy driving north,” Massie’s arrest warrant said. “Epsy then admitted to shooting [Elhindawi]. ... Epsy (later) noticed the black Jeep at the stop sign of Heather Ridge Lane and the Highway 360 service road. Epsy said he told Massie to pull in front of the Jeep and Massie complied.”

According to Massie’s arrest warrant, Epsy admitted to stealing the Jeep and that the 24-year-old woman “followed (him) when he abandoned the Jeep in Grand Prairie,” where he got in her vehicle, then went to his mother’s house.

Massie faces a charge of aggravated robbery.

It was unclear Friday whether the suspects have attorneys.