HOUSTON – Bond has been denied for a repeat offender who has a history of crimes over the last two decades, with offenses ranging from criminal trespassing and increasing in nature to his most recent charge of capital murder.
David Cleo Elliott has been charged in the January shooting death of William Henry Blake, in addition to a robbery which occurred just a little over a month earlier. Both of the offenses occurred at or near the same north Houston convenience store and gas station, according to court documents.
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Murder
On Jan. 21, Houston police were dispatched shortly before 6 p.m. to the 5700 block of the North Freeway.
Upon arrival, they found the body of Blake, 59, lying in a grassy area, next door to a Texaco.
Further investigation led police to identify Elliott as the shooter. Police said he shot Blake in the torso during an attempted robbery.
A little over a month before that, Elliott was allegedly involved in another violent offense at the same store.
Robbery, carjacking
On Dec. 27, 2021, a woman was parked at the Texaco when she was was approached by a suspect who opened her driver’s side door. The suspect told the woman to “get out of the [expletive] car” two times and, when she hesitated, he told her “You’re going to [expletive] die” as he reached for her keys, which were in the ignition, documents state.
The woman told investigators she began to push the suspect away and kicked him in the stomach and private areas before he yanked her out of her vehicle. The suspect tried to taker her purse but the woman fought back and managed to pull it away from him.
According to court documents, the suspect left the gas station in the woman’s Toyota Camry, which had her cellphone inside.
Records show the vehicle was recovered the next day at a storage lot but the cellphone was not found.
During the investigation, surveillance video helped to identify Elliott as the suspect, police said.
A search of Department of Public Safety records reveals Elliott has been charged in multiple prior offenses, dating back to 2003, including criminal trespass of a habitation/ shelter center, evading arrest, robbery, failure to identify/ fictitious information and aggravated robbery.
Elliott appeared in court Monday for the murder charge, at which time, no bond was given.
Anyone with further information about either of these cases is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or speak to Crime Stoppers anonymously at 713-222-TIPS.