June 9, 2023 - Charges have been filed against a suspect wanted in the death of a man found at 400 Franklin Street about 6:30 a.m. on June 3.

The suspect, Richard Denton Needham, 39, is charged with murder in the 184th State District Court. A May 2023 booking photo of Needham, who is not in custody, is attached to this news release.

The identity of the victim, 66, is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant C. Duncan and Detective L. Lovelace reported:

HPD patrol officers responded to the above address after a passing motorist found a man unresponsive. It appears the victim, believed to be homeless, had suffered severe trauma. Responding Houston Fire Department paramedics pronounced him deceased at the scene.

An autopsy by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences determined the man's cause of death to be from blunt force trauma. At that time, there was no known suspect(s).

Further investigation identified Needham as the suspect in this case and, on Tuesday (June 7), he was charged for his role in the incident. Needham remains at large.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Richard Needham or in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or speak anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.