McKinney man shot by assailant while celebrating his birthday in Oak Lawn's entertainment district

Pauline Medrano (left), and Michael Doughman

The murder of a 31-year-old man in the middle of the Oak Lawn entertainment district this week has alarmed Cedar Springs Road business operators who are shocked by the brazenness of the attack.

Jose Landa, of McKinney, reportedly was celebrating his birthday with his wife, his sister-in-law and a friend in J.R.'s just before he was shot to death during a robbery in a parking lot on Cedar Springs Road on Monday, April 16, at about 11:40 p.m. The group had just left the nightclub, stopped to get cash from an ATM machine on the street and was headed to their car when a gunman accosted them.

The gunman shot Landa, a Taco Bell manager who leaves behind a 5-month-old baby, in the head as he attempted to take a necklace from Landa's neck and the victim tried to defend himself, according to a Dallas Police Department report.

The suspect was described as a 6-foot-tall black man with a light complexion and slender build who was wearing a bandanna on his head.

Michael Doughman, executive director of the Dallas Tavern Guild, said the business people with whom he has spoken are shocked that someone would be bold enough to attempt to rob patrons of the entertainment district on the main strip.

Doughman said business owners are concerned that police officers have spent so much time in the entertainment district writing tickets for jaywalking, traffic violations and other minor offenses when more significant crime problems apparently have not been addressed.

"Everybody is very concerned and feels we have reached the point where we need much better effort from the police department and our city officials," Doughman said.

Two Oak Lawn community police officers did not return voice mail messages this week.

Doughman said the Cedar Springs Merchants Association has prepared a written complaint to deliver to City Council members Pauline Medrano and Angela Hunt, who represent the area (See Letters to the Editor, Page 31). The Dallas Tavern Guild would likely also discuss the problem and possibly agree to address the problem, he said.

Medrano said that she drove by the murder scene by coincidence shortly after it occurred, and that she is talking with police officials about what can be done to improve safety in the area. The councilwoman said that she had recently become concerned that something was amiss in Oak Lawn possibly a new criminal element and had shared that with police officials.

"Please don't think that nothing is going to be done," Medrano said. "There's going to be things from the public eye we might not see any different, but it will be. The awareness is here, and you will see a police presence."

Gregg Kilhoffer, president of Caven Enterprises, said the company, which operates J.R.'s, was deeply saddened by the senseless loss of life that occurred.

"As a part of the Cedar Springs Merchants Association, we are working along side the Dallas Police Department to make a stronger and safer community through greater cooperation and communication," Kilhoffer said in a written statement. "We are confident that justice will be served, and that our community will be strengthened by this adversity. Our thoughts are with Mr. Landa's family and friends."

The murder comes at a time when the Cedar Springs Merchant Association is attempting to upgrade the business district and make it a place where everyone will feel safe and welcome, Doughman said. People moving into Oak Lawn's new housing developments will undoubtedly be nervous about visiting stores, restaurants and nightclubs on the street, he said.

"How do you draw people into a neighborhood if it has that kind of crime element?" Doughman said. "We're trying to upgrade neighborhood and business atmosphere. You can't do any of that when this type of thing happens."

Doughman noted that he had just finished conducting a press tour of the city for visiting travel writers sponsored by the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Dallas Tavern Guild. He showed off Oak Lawn as the "crown jewel" of the city, he said.

"Thank God it didn't happen while the writers were here," Doughman said.
"Can you imagine that being a part of their stories?"

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This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, April 20, 2007.