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Man arrested, accused in murder of Pasadena college student

Crime Arrest Handcuffs Fingerprint (KPRC2/Click2Houston.com)

PASADENA, Texas – A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection to the death of a college student from Pasadena.

Nickalous Ahmed Benjamin is charged with murder and tampering with a human corpse in the case of Payas Deo.

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Deo, a UHCL student, disappeared on Feb. 8 after leaving his home in The Reserve at Clear Lake, according to his family. When he pulled out of the driveway of their Peony Meadow Trail home, he would not be heard from or seen again.

Texas EquuSearch and the Pasadena Police Department searched for Deo after he was reported missing.

Payas Deo, 19 of Clear Lake, was reported missing on February 8, 2025 after leaving his parents home in Clear Lake, TX. (Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.)

On Mar. 1, Deo’s body was found in southeast Houston near Dumas Street. Medical examiners say Deo died from gunshot wounds to the head and neck area. They also ruled his death a homicide.

Right now, other details on Benjamin’s arrest are limited.


About the Author

Christian Terry covered digital news in Tyler and Wichita Falls before returning to the Houston area where he grew up. He is passionate about weather and the outdoors and often spends his days off on the water fishing.