A Fort Worth man who admitted to gunning down a 71-year-old outside a local bingo hall was handed a 50-year prison sentence yesterday, with the judge ruling he will be eligible for parole only after serving half of that time.
Plea deal and sentence
Kenyan Buchanan, 35, had initially been indicted on a capital murder charge but chose to take a plea in Criminal District Court No. 1. Under the agreement, he accepted a 50-year sentence that allows for parole eligibility after he serves 25 years. If he had taken his chances at trial and been convicted of capital murder, he would have faced life in prison with no possibility of parole, and prosecutors had already taken the death penalty off the table. Those details were reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Shooting, arrest and what police said
The shooting happened on Jan. 1, 2025, in the parking lot of the Texas BingoPlex on Crowley Road. According to court documents and local reports, Roger Smith had just returned from playing bingo when he confronted a man going through his truck. Witnesses told police they saw the suspect rummaging through Smith’s pockets and leaving with the victim’s wallet. A passenger later told investigators they heard a single gunshot before the suspect came back to the car carrying lawn equipment, a brown wallet, and a phone. Officers later stopped a white Mazda at 3451 Alta Mesa Blvd. and arrested the driver, as reported by The Dallas Morning News.
Where this fits in Fort Worth's crime picture
Smith’s killing was one of 81 homicides recorded in Fort Worth in 2025, an 8 percent jump from 2024. Police and medical examiner data show a disproportionate share of those slayings happened in public spaces such as parking lots and roadways, and the city continued to see a spike in homicides during nighttime hours. That broader pattern was detailed in reporting by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Legal notes
By pleading to a lesser charge, Buchanan avoided the automatic life-without-parole punishment that comes with a capital murder conviction in Texas, and he will be allowed to apply for parole after serving roughly 25 years. Prosecutors said the deal guarantees a long, fixed sentence while sparing witnesses and Smith’s loved ones the emotional toll and uncertainty of a capital trial.
