Murder charges have been filed against the operator of several unlicensed community living facilities across North Texas as the result of an investigation into allegations of abuse and neglect.
Originally booked in February in Tarrant County jail on charges of abandoning/endangering an individual in imminent danger of bodily injury, 49-year-old Regla “Su” Becquer, the owner of Love and Caring for People LLC, is now being accused of murder.
The Arlington Police Department announced the new charges Thursday, and Becquer’s attorney has yet to comment, per KERA News.
Becquer’s business was behind five unlicensed boarding facilities in Arlington, Grand Prairie, and Mansfield, which purported to provide care to adults with mental and physical disabilities. However, Becquer and her staff have been accused of failing to provide clients with medical attention, drugging them, cutting them off from their loved ones, and stealing their belongings or identities.
Moreover, as many as 20 deaths are believed to have occurred on Becquer’s watch, as previously covered by The Dallas Express.
While more murder charges may still be added to Becquer’s case, the latest offense stems from the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office having ruled the death of Steven Pankratz, a client of a Love and Caring for People facility in Arlington, a homicide caused by mixed drug toxicity. The 60-year-old died in January.
Becquer’s bond for the murder charge has been set at $750,000, bringing her total bond amount to $1.5 million.
It is estimated that 1 in 10 Americans over the age of 65 has been the victim of elder abuse, which includes physical, emotional, and financial harm, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to data from the city’s crime analytics dashboard, this demographic represented approximately 288 of the 12,405 victims of violent crime recorded this year in Dallas as of June 20. The eldest homicide victim was 78 years old.
Overall, the Dallas Police Department has made considerable gains against violent crime. However, it is still grappling with a serious officer shortfall — roughly 3,000 sworn-in officers are fielded despite a City report recommending 4,000. Moreover, DPD has a budget of just $645 million this fiscal year, with City leaders opting to spend far less on policing than other high-crime municipalities.
