The Trials

Dallas Police Detective David Roach took down a citywide drug ring in response to Ryan’s death. When the hearings began for the dealers, Tina thought she’d find evil-hearted, malicious individuals. What she saw were other grieving families broken by the horrors of drugs.

“Nobody wants to tear apart a family,” Roach said. “You do feel for them, because they’re not going to see their son on Christmas morning. But on the other hand, you feel that sense of justice, because Tina doesn’t get to see Ryan at any Christmas anymore.”

Tina stood in the courtroom on Sep. 18, 2021, preparing to speak to Ben Westin, the man convicted of her son’s death. She shared with Westin and the court her immense anger.

“I channeled that rage into finding out who you were…” Tina stated. “It became an obsession to find out more about the individual who had sold the pill that killed my precious boy.”

Tina found his previous drug arrests, which only frustrated her more. Then she saw that Westin’s father passed away when he was young, just like Ryan. She found that he was a triplet, raised by a single mother.

“My anger turned to grief and pain for you and your family — another family destroyed by drugs,” Tina stated.

She said her heart broke for Westin, knowing that he only saw Ryan as a transaction, and not the beautiful person he was. Under different circumstances, she could’ve seen them as friends. In fact, Tina didn’t hate Ben Westin, she prayed for him. 

“My prayer for you is that you will live with a part of Ryan in your heart—that you will do everything possible not to go back to a life where drugs dictate every path you take until you walk off that final cliff. No matter how difficult life gets, drugs won’t help – they only destroy. Do something with your life — choose the hope of a beautiful and blessed life…it’s too late for my Ryan – it’s not too late for you.”