HOUSTON — A man accused of killing and carjacking a 90-year-old Navy veteran over the weekend faces additional charges in an unrelated armed robbery that occurred in the same week, according to court documents.
Kyliel Denzel Arceneaux, 21, is charged with capital murder in the shooting death of Nelson Beckett on Saturday, Aug. 31, outside an assisted living apartment complex off Westbrae Parkway in southwest Houston.
Now, Arceneaux also faces an aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon charge for a robbery at a University of Houston dorm on Aug. 27, according to court documents.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office said security video and a tip helped them determine Arceneaux was allegedly involved in the robbery that occurred inside the Moody Towers residence hall around 4 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27.
According to University of Houston police, a student left his room to go to the restroom. When he came back, he said he noticed two men rummaging through his room. The victim said they then robbed him at gunpoint.
"Attacking somebody who is a student in the dorm, literally thinks that this is a safe place where we have security, we don't let people in," prosecutor Dana Nazarova said. "We did find that there were ties to this defendant and that he was one of the people who held him at gunpoint during that robbery."
Nazarova said surveillance video was key to linking Arceneaux to the crime.
"This defendant has a unique, let's say, bald spot on his head. we were able to identify that. In addition to that, there was a tip provided that he might be one of the robbers. and then when we compared the images and that specific feature on his head, we were able to connect the ties," Nazarova said.
Prosecutors noted the similarities between the two crimes.
"Two innocent people just kind of doing what they do and they just preying on them," the prosecutor said.
It is unknown how Arceneaux gained access to the campus dorm.
Prosecutors say suspect admitted he killed veteran
On Thursday, a prosecutor said Arceneaux confessed that he thought Beckett would be easy prey because he was using a walker so he didn't think he would fight back.
“The defendant struck the complainant several times with his firearm before shooting him fatally and then continued to strike him after that, before robbing him, taking the keys to his car – and once inside the car, the defendant then drove the vehicle over the complainant’s body," Assistant District Attorney Chandler Raine said during the hearing.
Beckett died from a gunshot wound to his lung and trauma from being run over by the car, according to the judge who called the crime "atrocious." He set Arceneaux's bond at $7M.
"As you can imagine our heart just breaks for this family," Raine said. "There’s no reason that this family shouldn’t have their loved one with them today."
According to court documents, Arceneaux also threatened two people who were trying to help Beckett.
He was out on bond when this incident occurred. He was awaiting trial for an evading arrest charge from 2022.
Beckett’s car was found less than three miles away from where the shooting happened. Prosecutors said surveillance video showed Arceneaux trying to wipe his fingerprints off of the stolen car and also throwing away the bloody shirt he wore the day of the shooting.
Beckett's family told us he often used that car to drive friends to the doctor, FEMA appointments, rehab or anywhere else they needed.
Tim Beckett, the victim's son, told us on Wednesday that the family is relieved to know the accused gunman is in custody.
"We're glad to hear he was captured," Beckett said. “We’re very thankful that there’s been a lot of support, it doesn’t bring him back but we are thankful for the support, from those who contributed to finding the culprit."
He drove to Houston this week to lay his father to rest on Monday.