Authorities have identified Clyde Stephens II as the lone suspect in a double homicide that claimed the lives of Charles Beckham and Donna Culpepper on June 19, 2025.
According to the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office, evidence collected at the scene, combined with an interview with Stephens and evidence gathered after his arrest, links him to both murders.
Investigators say Beckham returned to his home in the early morning hours of June 19 after working a shift at the Texas Department of Corrections Johnston Unit in Winnsboro, Texas. Upon arrival, he discovered Stephens burglarizing the residence. Authorities believe Stephens shot Beckham multiple times outside the house before setting Beckham’s truck and body on fire to conceal the crime.
Several hours later, Donna Culpepper arrived at Beckham’s residence for a preplanned trip into town. When she came upon the scene, Stephens allegedly shot and killed her before fleeing in her car. He was later apprehended in Searcy, Arkansas, driving Culpepper’s vehicle.
Stephens is currently being held in White County, Arkansas, where he faces charges of Theft by Receiving and Fleeing. Upon the conclusion of those proceedings, he will be returned to Bowie County to face a charge of Capital Murder.
Bowie County authorities expressed gratitude to the many agencies that assisted in the investigation, including the White County Sheriff’s Office, the White County District Attorney’s Office, the Searcy Police Department, the Arkansas State Police, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the FBI, the Simms Volunteer Fire Department, the Texarkana Texas Police Department, the Bowie County Office of Emergency Management, and the Bowie County District Attorney’s Office.
Special thanks were also extended to Bowie County Investigators Michelle Alexander, Brent Caudle, Edward Rawls, and Captain David Biggar for their tireless efforts to bring this case to a resolution.
