Man murdered sleeping 90-year-old who owned convenience store for decades by repeatedly stabbing him in the stomach with a screwdriver: Cops

A Texas antheral allegedly broke into the location of a 90-year-old antheral by taking the air-conditioning portion retired of a model and repeatedly stabbing him with a screwdriver.

Anthony Cerda, 34, is charged with superior murder successful the decease of Francisco Chura, Houston police say. Cops responded to Cerda's location successful the 7800 artifact of Canal Street astir 9 a.m. Aug. 20, 2025, for a stabbing. Paramedics rushed the unfortunate to the infirmary wherever helium died connected Sept. 7, 2025.

According to a probable origin apprehension affidavit, Cerda attacked Chura astatine his location which was attached to the convenience store helium owned for decades. Chura was sleeping erstwhile Cerda allegedly jumped connected apical of him and punched him repeatedly and stabbed him with the screwdriver. The unfortunate was suffering from respective "small circular stabbing wounds." Cops recovered Chura's furniture sheets soaked with blood.

Investigators noted a harmless was wide unfastened with thing inside, indicating the execution was apt a robbery. They besides recovered a bent screwdriver with humor connected it.

The unfortunate told detectives that helium played dormant until the fishy ran away. He hid successful the bath until helium saw sunlight and ran to a neighbor's location to inquire for help. Chura said astir $3,000 successful currency was missing from his safe. He described the fishy arsenic having agelong hair.

About 2 months aft the stabbing, detectives saw a antheral with agelong hairsbreadth hiding successful a crawl abstraction astatine a location adjacent the transgression scene, the affidavit said. He was seemingly trying to fell from police. The homeowner identified the antheral arsenic her nephew, Cerda. She said helium would sometimes enactment astatine her location erstwhile helium needed a spot to live.

She said Cerda would often spell wrong the store and Chura would sometimes indebtedness him money. He was successful the store a time oregon truthful earlier the homicide, per cops. She called Chura's decease "such a bittersweet story" and told constabulary that they needed to "get to the bottommost of it."

Cerda told detectives helium did not termination Chura and said helium ne'er had been wrong the store.

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Detectives spoke with different witnesser who said helium went to the store connected the nighttime earlier the slaying but the doorway was locked. Chura fto him wrong and recounted however helium gave wealth to a antheral who past returned a 2nd clip and demanded much cash. Chura refused and "kicked him out." The witnesser asked who the antheral was but Chura declined to archer him.

In January 2026, cops interviewed a antheral who spoke with Cerda aft the alleged murder. He said they were hanging retired and getting precocious unneurotic erstwhile Cerda allegedly stated "I killed Pancho," which is Chura's nickname.

The large interruption successful the lawsuit came erstwhile DNA results came backmost earlier this month. A laboratory determined the screwdriver had DNA from 2 people: Chura and Cerda.

Police obtained an apprehension warrant for Cerda connected Friday. He was already successful the Harris County Jail connected an unrelated charge. He is slated to look successful tribunal connected Monday.

A neighbour told section ABC affiliate KTRK that Chura was good known successful the vicinity and often helped radical successful need.

"Everybody grew up with him," the neighbour said. "Everybody was amazed erstwhile that happened."