A 90-year-old veteran, Nelson Beckett, was tragically killed in a violent carjacking outside a Houston retirement home over the weekend. The incident occurred around noon on Saturday in the parking lot of the Lone Star Living assisted living complex.
According to Houston police, an unidentified suspect approached Beckett, attacked him, shot him, and then fled in Beckett’s car, running him over in the process. Beckett was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The suspect has been described as a black man aged between 25 and 30, and he is still on the loose two days later.
Rod Boson, a neighbor of the facility, described hearing a gunshot during the struggle. “He had his little shopping cart and a scuffle ensued,” Boson said. “They say he put up a good fight. That’s when he got shot. As the suspect backed up, he hit [the victim],” Boson told KHOU 11.
Beckett’s family identified him as the victim, noting that he leaves behind two children, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren, as reported by ABC 13 Houston.
Tami Freund, Beckett’s daughter, shared, “He loved big and loved his family so much. To him, everyone had value, and he would do anything for anyone,” Freund told Fox 26 Houston. Beckett was a Navy veteran and attended Abilene Christian University before pursuing a career in sales. He was also deeply involved in his church community.
Steve Sargent, the senior minister at Southwest Central Church of Christ, recalled Beckett’s love for socializing, saying, “Nelson more than most people I know loved being with people. He loved swapping stories, telling jokes and showing pictures,” Sargent said during a Sunday service.
The carjacker remains at large and is considered “armed and dangerous,” according to police reports from KPRC 2 News. Beckett’s car was found abandoned less than three miles away at another apartment complex.
