Fort Worth Man, 20, Gets 40 Years for Beating 71-Year-Old to Death With His Own Cane

A Tarrant County jury convicted 20-year-old Javaughn Greer of murder and handed down a 40-year prison sentence for the beating death of 71-year-old Donald Snellings, a Fort Worth man who died weeks after being left unconscious with a broken jaw, broken ribs, and a brain bleed. The attack unfolded in stages, with Greer and another teenager knocking Snellings to the ground before walking away, then returning to finish what they started.

According to the Tarrant County DA, Greer and the second teen attacked Snellings on March 21, 2025, in the 900 block of East Broadway Avenue in Fort Worth. The pair reportedly knocked the 71-year-old to the ground, left the scene, and then came back to attack him a second time. When they returned, prosecutors say the teens targeted Snellings's head and torso, and Greer stomped on the older man's head before grabbing his cane and using it to strike him repeatedly.

Snellings was found unconscious at the scene with a broken jaw, broken ribs, and a brain bleed, per the same account. He survived for several weeks before dying on April 11, 2025. The Tarrant County DA thanked the Fort Worth Police Department for its work on the case and its commitment to keeping the community safe, and credited investigator Brian Johnson with the case. Assistant district attorneys DJ Estes and Michael Mooneuham prosecuted the case, per the DA's statement.

What Comes Next for Greer Behind Bars

Because murder is classified as a first-degree felony under Texas Penal Code § 19.02, Greer's conviction carried a potential range of 5 to 99 years or life in prison, according to Saputo Toufexis. His 40-year sentence, however, comes with a steep catch: murder is also classified as an aggravated “3G” offense under Texas Government Code § 508.145(d), meaning Greer must serve at least half of his sentence in flat calendar time, with no good-conduct credits shaving that number down, before he can even be considered for parole, as explained by the L&L Law Group.

That works out to a minimum of 20 flat years behind bars before the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles will review his case. But reaching that eligibility date is not the same as walking free. Per the Texas Criminal Defense Group, the parole board holds full discretion to grant or deny release based on the severity of the offense, an inmate's behavior in prison, statements from victims or their families, and whether rehabilitation programs have been completed. In other words, 20 years marks only the earliest possible review, not a scheduled release date.

Enhanced Protections for Elderly Victims

Snellings' age factors into how Texas law treats violence against older residents more broadly. Under Texas Penal Code § 22.04, anyone 65 or older is legally defined as an “elderly individual,” and intentionally or knowingly causing serious bodily injury to someone in that category is itself prosecuted as a first-degree felony carrying 5 to 99 years or life in prison, according to Brian Foley Law. Tarrant County inmate records also show Greer had a prior booking in the county on April 10, 2024, when he was 17 years old, according to Texas Arrests.

A Case Amid Falling Crime Numbers

The conviction comes as Fort Worth police report a broader decline in violent crime across the city. Overall offenses in Fort Worth dropped 13.8%, and crimes against persons fell 10.1% in 2025 compared to the prior year, continuing a downward trend that has seen homicides fall from 118 in 2021 to 76 in 2024, according to data reported by Omnilert. That local trend tracks with a national pattern: FBI statistics reported by Security.org show violent crime across the United States fell 9.7% between 2024 and 2025, part of a 14.3% overall decrease since 2015.

Fort Worth police have credited much of that progress to the #FortWorthSafe strategy, launched in 2021 under Police Chief Neil Noakes, which directs patrol divisions, gang units, and real-time crime analysts toward high-priority violent crimes including homicides and aggravated assaults. The Tarrant County District Attorney's Office, based at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center at 401 W. Belknap St. in Fort Worth and led by District Attorney Phil Sorrells, oversees more than 300 prosecutors handling upwards of 31,000 pending felony and misdemeanor cases, according to Texas DWI Site. The office secured its first-ever fentanyl-related murder conviction in October 2024 under Texas House Bill 6, which resulted in a 19-year sentence for a drug supplier, as reported by Texas Scorecard.

It remains unclear what became of the second teenager who was with Greer during the attack on Snellings, including that individual's identity, current legal status, or whether any separate charges have been filed. The dossier of court statements from the Tarrant County DA's office does not address that open question, nor does it detail any victim impact statements from Snellings's family during sentencing.