Suspect charged after allegedly beating 69-year-old man to death, leaving him inside vacant SE Houston building

HOUSTON – The suspect accused of beating a 69-year-old man to death and leaving him inside a vacant building last year has been charged.

Steven Nickerson, 42, has since been charged with murder. He is accused of beating 69-year-old Joseph Jones to death.

• RELATED: Investigation underway after 69-year-old man found dead in vacant building in southeast Houston, police say

On Dec. 21, 2022, Houston police found Jones dead from blunt force trauma in a vacant building located at 3575 Yellowstone Boulevard.

According to investigators, Jones had been severely beaten. The building owner told police that Jones had been living at the location, but was unable to reach him for a while so he decided to go check on things. When he arrived, he found Jones dead.

Police said a preliminary investigation indicated the incident may have occurred at about 10 a.m. and detectives believed Jones’ vehicle, described as a 1996 silver Dodge pickup truck with Texas license plate number JML1106, was stolen by Nickerson.