A Fort Worth man has been charged with capital murder in the death of his 9-year-old daughter, Joanna Jordyn, following an autopsy that contradicted his initial statements to investigators. Marquise Anderson was arrested last week regarding the February incident, which Tarrant County Medical Examiner officials ruled a homicide caused by blunt force trauma.
Court records indicate Anderson initially claimed Joanna wet the bed and that he disciplined her before she fell in a bathtub. However, he later admitted to striking the child multiple times with his hands and a belt, believing she was smirking at him. Her maternal uncle, Brandon Shoulder, stated the expression was due to facial paralysis present since birth, not defiance. Medical staff documented approximately 30 injuries to Joanna’s torso and lower body before she was pronounced dead at Cook Children’s Medical Center.
Fort Worth police spokesman Buddy Calzada noted that the autopsy findings exposed discrepancies in Anderson’s story. While the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services confirmed a prior history with the family, it declined to provide further details. Shoulder described Joanna as a kind child who loved unicorns and dreamed of becoming an astronaut, adding that the family is seeking justice and believes Anderson deserves the death penalty.
