Police say DNA and a tip helped connect Anthony Cerda to the Canal Street case.
HOUSTON, Texas — A 34-year-old Houston man has been charged with capital murder nearly 10 months after a 90-year-old convenience store owner was attacked inside his southeast Houston home, police and court records show.
Anthony Cerda was arrested June 12 in the death of Francisco Chura, who police said was assaulted about 9 a.m. Aug. 20, 2025, at 7801 Canal Street. Chura died Sept. 7, 2025, after spending 18 days in the hospital. The case now moves through the 232nd Criminal Court in Harris County.
Court records say the attacker entered Chura’s home by removing an air-conditioning unit from a rear window. Chura’s room was next to the convenience store he operated in the neighborhood. Police said Chura told investigators from his hospital bed that he woke up to a man punching and stabbing him. A neighbor said Chura was widely known in the area. “Everybody knew him. Everybody grew up with him,” the neighbor said. “Everybody was surprised when that happened.”
Investigators said Chura suffered severe injuries and was taken by Houston Fire Department paramedics to a hospital. Records say his room was covered in blood and that detectives found a bent screwdriver on the floor. Police also found an open safe with no money inside. Chura reported that $3,000 was missing. He told police he played dead until the attacker left, then hid in a bathroom until sunrise before running to a neighbor for help.
The case stayed open for months as homicide investigators reviewed evidence and searched for a suspect. Court records say officers later saw a man hiding in a crawl space beneath a nearby home. The homeowner identified him as Cerda, her nephew, and told investigators he was homeless and sometimes stayed with her. Investigators said Cerda knew Chura and had been in the area before the attack. Police have not released every detail about the alleged motive, but the missing cash and open safe are part of the case record.
Houston police said an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip later identified Cerda as the suspect. Court records also say DNA found on the screwdriver matched Cerda. Cerda was already in the Harris County Jail on an unrelated charge when police arrested him in the capital murder case. He remains in custody. His next court appearance was set for Monday, June 15.
Neighbors described Chura as a longtime store owner who helped people around Canal Street. One neighbor said the killing shocked people because Chura had been part of daily life in the area for years. “I was surprised because I didn’t think anybody would do anything like that,” the neighbor said. “He was from the neighborhood, and he helped everybody out.”
The charge remains pending in Harris County court. Investigators have identified Cerda as the suspect, but the case has not gone to trial.
Author note: Last updated June 15, 2026.