On June 2, 2024, at approximately 6:35 p.m., Houston police officers responded to reports of a deceased individual at 699 Franklin Street, near the Buffalo Bayou Trail. Upon arrival, they discovered 38-year-old Richard Nugent lying unresponsive on the sidewalk, having suffered two gunshot wounds to the head. As officers canvassed the area for witnesses, they found 66-year-old RJ Lewis on a stairwell leading up to the intersection of Congress and Smith Streets, also with fatal gunshot wounds to
the head. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene by Houston Fire Department paramedics.
Initially, there were no leads regarding a motive or suspect in the double homicide. However, on June 20, the Houston Police Department released surveillance images of a person of interest described as a Black male with a goatee, possibly a beard, carrying a small dark bag or fanny pack. A tip from the public led investigators to identify and locate 37-year-old Bruce Butler as the individual in the photos. At the time, Butler was under an emergency detention order at Memorial Hermann Hospital.
During an interview with detectives, Butler confessed to the killings, stating that he shot Nugent and Lewis while they were sleeping along the walking path. He claimed to have disposed of the firearm by selling it to an unknown homeless individual, referring to the weapon as "dirty" due to blood contamination. Butler further asserted that he was "sent by Yahweh to rid the Earth of heathens" and expressed intentions to continue his mission upon release, planning to acquire another firearm through vehicle break-ins and target additional homeless individuals.
On June 24, Butler was formally charged with capital murder and booked into the Harris County Joint Processing Center. His criminal history includes previous offenses such as car burglaries and assault causing bodily injury. The case has drawn significant attention due to Butler's stated motives and the vulnerability of the victims, highlighting concerns about the safety of homeless individuals in urban areas.
