Three Men Indicted for Capital Murder in Death of Plano Engineer

PLANO, TX – Three men accused in the killing of a Plano man three years ago have been indicted for capital murder.

It happened in the garage of his home on Case Drive in Plano in November 2017.

Police said he was shot twice at close range.

The murder left his neighbors and police in Plano puzzled.

“It was a who-done-it,” said Plano Police Officer David Tilley.

The two main clues: Shell casings at the scene and dark surveillance video of what police believed was the getaway car.

According to police documents, by looking at the the lights on the car, police believed they had an idea what make and model it was. In September 2018, the used a similar car to perform a recreation of what the getaway looked like.

Police compared the lights in the recreated video to the actual suspect vehicle and said it was a match.

But knowing the type of car was one thing. Knowing who was in it was another.

“The primary lead detective on this, he continued on the quest because he knew that this case could be solved, he just needed that break,” Tilley said.

That break came in December 2019, when detectives said a ballistics report revealed the gun used to kill Collinvitti was used in another shooting in Garland 10 days later.

The arrest affidavit states investigators suspect the gun had been stolen from Ladarius Keys, the accused triggerman in the Collinvitti case.

According to his affidavit, Keys, and two other men — Jacob Malin and Chris Walker — drove to Plano from Arlington “because they didn’t want to commit crimes in the area where they live.”

The affidavit states Walker told police they drove around and quote “…got tired after not finding anyone to rob,” but “…couldn’t go home empty-handed.”

The affidavit states Keys and Walker were on foot in an alley “hunting and targeting” for a robbery victim.

It states Collinvitti unknowingly became that victim “by simply returning home from the post office.”

“I consider this a very safe neighborhood but you just really never know,” said a neighbor who only identified himself by his first name, Ken. Ken said he called police the day of the shooting.

It was behind Ken’s home the affidavit states Malin was waiting in a running car owned by his ex-girlfriend.

Police said robbery was the motive but it appeared nothing was taken, according to the affidavit.

Keys is being held in the Collin County Detention Center.

Walker was at the Tarrant County Detention Center at the time he was charged. Records show he was transferred to the Collin County Jail earlier this month.

Malin was already in custody at the Yazoo City Federal Correctional Institution in Mississippi when he was charged. Online records show he remains an inmate there.