Houston homicide: Suspect Richard Denton Needham arrested for man's death on Franklin Street
HOUSTON - Houston police have a suspect in custody for the death of a man found on Franklin Street around 6:30 a.m. on June 3.
Police say Richard Denton Needham, 39 has been charged with murder.
HPD police were dispatched after a driver passing by found the victim, Lawrence Jirucha, 66, unresponsive at 400 Franklin Street.
Richard Denton Needham, 39, is charged with murder in the 184th State District Court. (Houston Police Department)
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HPD responding officers say the victim appeared to be homeless and suffered severe trauma. An autopsy by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences later revealed Jirucha’s cause of death to be from blunt force trauma.
Houston Fire Department paramedics pronounced him deceased at the scene.
Upon further investigation, HPD identified Needham as the suspect on June 7.
A week later, Needham was arrested by METRO police officers on Wednesday, June 14 without incident.
It’s not clear what lead to the deadly incident.