Suspect in Oak Cliff fatal shooting was in relationship with youth minister’s ex-wife

By  Zaeem Shaikh

A man accused of fatally shooting a youth pastor in southeast Oak Cliff on Easter Sunday told police he had a relationship with the victim’s ex-wife prior to their divorce, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Joshua Andrews, 30, was arrested on a murder charge in connection with the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Denzel Branch. Dallas police said Andrews allegedly shot Branch after a verbal argument turned physical.

Officers found Branch about 3:30 p.m. in the 2500 block of 56th Street, near New Generation Church, where, according to his Facebook page, Branch was a youth minister. He was taken to a hospital, where he died, police officials said.

Andrews is listed in Dallas County jail records as Joshua Bell. He was booked early April 1 and remained in custody as of Saturday afternoon with his bail set at $500,000.

A witness told detectives that he had known Branch and Andrews for about 10 years, including from church, according to the affidavit.

The witness said he was in the pastor’s office when a phone call came in, during which he overheard the pastor tell someone not to do something.

The pastor then gestured for the witness to go outside and handle the situation, police wrote in the affidavit. Exactly what that situation was is unclear from the affidavit. The witness said Andrews was sitting in his car, which was parked a little ways down 56th Street from the church, when Branch walked to the car and hit Andrews twice through the open window.

He told police that he attempted to hold Branch back when Andrews exited the car with a black handgun. Andrews attempted to fire the gun, but it clicked when he pulled the trigger. He then fired it again, striking Branch. The witness told police that Andrews went around the car to where Branch was and fired several more shots.

Andrews left the scene in his black 2007 Lexus, and another witness who saw the shooting and knew him gave police his information, the affidavit said. Andrews later turned himself in at a Dallas police substation.

In an interview with police, he said he had been involved romantically since May with Branch’s ex-wife, who divorced Branch around November. The relationship created conflict between Andrews and Branch, he told police.

After leaving the church service, Andrews was in his car on the phone with another person when he heard Branch say he was going to beat him up, the affidavit said. He told police he made a comment back hoping Branch would hear it.

Branch then approached Andrews’ car on the driver’s side and began punching the window, the affidavit said. On one occasion, he struck Andrews in the mouth, which prompted him to reach for his gun.

Andrews told police he showed his gun to Branch to get him to walk away. According to the affidavit, that’s when Andrews said he got out of his car, stood outside it while holding his gun and fired it. He fired another round striking another car.

One witness attempted to pull Branch behind the second car, and Andrews told police he followed them, still shooting at Branch. He stopped when he saw Branch lying in the middle of the road.

Andrews admitted to police he intentionally fired the gun at Branch, the affidavit said. He said he didn’t see Branch with any weapons and “acknowledged” he should not have shot him.

This story, originally published in The Dallas Morning News, is reprinted as part of a collaborative partnership between The Dallas Morning News and Texas Metro News. The partnership seeks to boost coverage of Dallas’ communities of color, particularly in southern Dallas.