Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Brutal Fort Worth Dumpster Murder
FORT WORTH, Texas — A 48-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison after a Tarrant County jury found him guilty of murder for the brutal 2025 killing of a woman whose body was left behind a dumpster, authorities announced.
Steven Black, 48, was convicted of Murder in connection with the July 9, 2025 attack that resulted in the death of 50-year-old Susan Watkins. The court subsequently sentenced Black to life in state prison following the jury's verdict.
Fatal Assault in Near Southside
The incident occurred in the 900 block of S. Jennings Avenue in the Near Southside neighborhood of Fort Worth. According to evidence presented during the trial, Black threw Watkins to the ground before violently stomping on her head.
Black continued the assault by throwing large rocks at Watkins' head before leaving her unresponsive body behind a nearby dumpster.
Hospitalization and Prosecution
Emergency medical personnel located Watkins at the scene and transported her to a local hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Following an investigation by the Fort Worth Police Department, Black was identified, arrested, and indicted for murder. Prosecutors Tim Rodgers and Grayson Ezzell tried the case on behalf of the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, securing the guilty verdict and life sentence.
