A Texas gunman has been sentenced to 60 years in prison for the random shooting of a Texas Christian University student, who was shot three times. The victim’s father condemned the attacker’s, Matthew Purdy’s, “dark and ugly soul.”
Purdy, who is now 23, pleaded guilty to killing 21-year-old Wes Smith early on September 1, 2023, outside a bar called “Your Mom’s House” in Fort Worth, Texas.
Smith, a walk-on player during the 2021 season, was helping a friend to their car when Purdy approached him to inquire if he knew his father. According to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, he then pulled out a gun and shot Smith.
After hitting Smith in the stomach and shoulder, Purdy shot him again in the back of the head as he lay on the sidewalk. This chilling detail was relayed to police by Purdy himself.
During the incident, he also fired at an 18-year-old woman attempting to flee the scene. His arrest occurred just two blocks away from where the shooting took place.
Purdy told investigators that he had attacked another teen and shot more people but claimed he ran out of bullets. His defense team is considering a mental illness strategy, citing Purdy’s reported schizophrenia and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, along with his mother’s history of mental health issues and substance abuse during pregnancy.
Purdy admitted to additional charges, including aggravated assault and robbery, racking up a total of 60 years for the murder of Smith and another 20 for the other offenses. At the time of the shooting, he was already on probation for a previous robbery.
Purdy’s total sentence will span 206 years, although he will serve it concurrently. Smith’s father, Philip, expressed relief that his son, who was set to graduate from TCU, was not among others harmed by Purdy’s actions.
Saying at a sentencing hearing that Purdy had a malevolent spirit, Philip Smith stated, “You have a dark, ugly soul—if you have a soul at all.” He vividly expressed his horror at the emotional toll inflicted on everyone in the courtroom, not just his family.
Smith’s mother, Dolly, remembered her son as a kind individual who brought out the best in others. She lamented that things might have been different if Purdy had chosen compassion over violence. She told him, “If only you had spoken to him instead of attacking.” Now, she hopes that Purdy can turn his life around and seek redemption.
