NEW BOSTON, Texas–A man accused of killing a man and woman at a residence in De Kalb, Texas, in June was indicted by a Bowie County grand jury Thursday for capital murder and other crimes.
Clyde Allen Stephens II faces a possible death sentence or life without parole if convicted of capital murder in the June 19 deaths of Donna Culpepper, 63, and Charles Beckham, 64. Stephens has also been charged with two counts of first-degree felony murder, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Stephens was arrested by law enforcement in Culpepper’s stolen rental car by law enforcement near Searcy, Ark., where investigators had seen video surveillance of him in the car at a local Waffle House at around 2 a.m. on June 21. He was located June 23 at a residence in Searcy and fled the scene but was arrested after a short pursuit, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Stephens waived extradition from Arkansas to Texas and is currently being held in the Bowie County jail with bail set at $3.2 million, records show.
Kelley Crisp, Bowie County First Assistant District Attorney, penned a motion in June for release and transfer of evidence collected by Arkansas law enforcement, including Culpepper’s rental car, a 2025 Nissan Sentra owned by Enterprise, evidence found at a house on Dolly Lane in Searcy where Stephens had allegedly been staying and evidence found in a mobile home in the 4200 block of Highway 367 in Searcy.
According to the motion for evidence transfer filed by Crisp, interviews with witnesses in Arkansas led authorities to the address on Highway 367 where stolen firearms may have been stashed. The motion further notes that items recovered from the Dolly Lane residence may include shell casings, jewelry and articles of clothing that belonged to Beckham and the personal effects and identification of Culpepper.
An order granting Crisp’s motion for the release and transfer of evidence was inked by 202nd Judge John Tidwell on July 15, court records show.
When Culpepper’s family was unable to reach her, a relative went to Beckham’s home as she was known to visit him regularly, the affidavit said.
A call came in to 911 at approximately 7:30 p.m. June 19 from a caller who reported that Culpepper was deceased and was lying face down in the driveway with facial trauma, according to Crisp’s motion. According to the affidavit, Culpepper died of a single gunshot wound while Beckham had been shot multiple times.
“The male victim was known to own or possess several guns; however, no firearms were located at his residence,” Crisp’s motion said.
Investigators believe Stephens may have been in the course of burglarizing the home when he allegedly committed the murders and that he may have stolen the guns, the affidavit said.
Culpepper’s purse and wallet as well as both her and Beckham’s cell phones were missing when the bodies were discovered, Crisp’s motion said.
All of the charges other than capital murder include a notice regarding two prior felony convictions, meaning Stephens could be subjected to an enhanced punishment range in those cases.
Judge Tidwell has appointed Texarkana lawyer Jeff Harrelson to represent Stephens. Crisp represents the state.