Francisco Chura died 18 days after the August 2025 attack, police said.
HOUSTON, Texas — Houston police say a Crime Stoppers tip and DNA from a screwdriver helped lead to a capital murder charge against Anthony Cerda in the death of 90-year-old Francisco Chura.
Cerda, 34, was arrested June 12 and charged in the 232nd Criminal Court. Police said Chura was attacked Aug. 20, 2025, inside his home at 7801 Canal Street and died Sept. 7. The arrest came after months of investigation into a case that alarmed neighbors who knew Chura from his nearby convenience store.
Police said officers responded to the Canal Street address about 9 a.m. after Chura escaped the home and reached a neighbor. Court records say he told investigators he had been asleep when a man entered, punched him and stabbed him repeatedly. Chura said he pretended to be dead, waited for the attacker to leave, then hid in a bathroom until morning. He later told police that $3,000 was gone from his safe.
Detectives found signs of a forced entry, according to court records. Investigators said an air-conditioning unit had been removed from a back window. Inside the room, police found blood, an open safe and a bent screwdriver on the floor. Houston police said Chura had multiple injuries and was taken to a hospital. He remained there until he died 18 days later. Authorities later classified the case as a fatal assault and continued the homicide investigation.
The investigation later turned toward Cerda, who was described in court records as someone who had stayed near the crime scene. Officers reported seeing a man hiding in a crawl space beneath a nearby home nearly two months after the attack. A homeowner identified him as her nephew, Cerda, and said he sometimes stayed with her. Detectives said Cerda knew Chura. Records also say he told investigators police needed to “get to the bottom of it.”
The break in the case came after an anonymous tip and DNA testing, according to court records. Investigators said DNA linked Cerda to the screwdriver recovered from Chura’s room. Police arrested Cerda while he was already jailed on another matter. Houston police said he was booked in the Harris County Jail on the capital murder charge. He was due back in court Monday, June 15.
Chura’s death left a mark on neighbors who said he had long been part of the Canal Street area. One neighbor, who asked not to be named, said Chura was known by people who grew up around the store. “Everybody knew him,” the neighbor said. The neighbor said people were stunned because Chura was older, familiar and helpful to those around him.
Cerda remains behind bars as the capital murder case proceeds. Police have not announced any additional arrests in the killing.
Author note: Last updated June 15, 2026.