Maniac arrested for stabbing sleeping 90-year-old Houston store owner to death with screwdriver

A 24-year-old Houston man has been charged with capital murder in connection with the death of a 90-year-old convenience store owner who was attacked during a home invasion last year.

Anothny Cerda was arrested on Friday and charged with murder in the killing of longtime Houston resident Francisco Chura. Chura died a few weeks after suffering severe injuries during the attack, Houston Police said.

Investigators say the incident occurred on Aug. 20, 2025, when an intruder entered Chura’s home through a rear window after having removed an air conditioning unit. The home attached to the neighborhood store Chura had operated for decades.

According to court records the suspect allegedly attacked Chura while he was asleep, repeatedly stabbing him in the stomach with a screwdriver. Chura reportedly remained motionless until the attacker left the home.

Police responding to the scene found evidence of a violent struggle, including blood-covered bedding. Investigators also recovered a damaged screwdriver believed to have been used in the attack. A safe inside the home had been opened, and approximately $3,000 in cash was reported missing.

Chura was transported to a hospital for treatment but later died from his injuries on Sept. 7, 2025.

During the investigation, detectives learned Cerda had previously visited the business and was known to the victim. Witnesses told police they had seen Chura give Cerda money on prior occasions.

Neighbors described Chura as a well-known figure in the community who had spent years serving local residents through his store.

Authorities ultimately linked Cerda to the crime through DNA evidence recovered from the suspected murder weapon. He was taken into custody while already being held in the Harris County Jail on an unrelated charge.