Disturbing, and unimaginable: That’s how investigators at the Arlington Police Department are describing a case they’ve been peeling back for the past seven months. It all involves a woman who owned and operated several unlicensed assisted living homes in North Texas. NBC 5’s Tahera Rahman reports new details about two of the deaths at those homes.
Arlington police shared new details Wednesday in the investigation into a woman facing a murder charge connected to the death of a client who was living at one of her unlicensed assisted living centers.
Following allegations of neglect, theft, fraud, and abuse, Arlington police opened investigations into the deaths of at least 20 people who had been living in five unlicensed group homes in Arlington and Mansfield.
“We have allegations of abuse, theft and fraud by Miss Becquer and her company. The stories we've heard from the clients and their families are disturbing and heartbreaking and unimaginable, and we are committed to delivering justice to the families and the victims," said Kelly Land, Arlington Police crisis intervention specialist.
Initially, police charged Regla "Su" Becquer, who owned Love and Caring for People LLC, with endangering an individual. Last week, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the January death of one of the people, Steven Pankratz, a homicide and the manner of death "mixed drug toxicity."
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The medical examiner's report said a mix of "Trazadone, tramadol, and mirtazapine" was found in Pankrat's system.
"Following a lengthy review of his medical records it became clear that the drugs that were in his system had never been prescribed to him by doctors or used in any medical treatment that he received," said Detective Krystallyne Robinson during Wednesday's press conference.
Police said Pankratz was found unconscious in one of Becquer's homes, then taken to the hospital where he died.
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Robinson said she had spoken to one of Pankratz's family members, who said his health "appeared to worsen throughout his time with Ms. Becquer, and that she would give him a handful of unknown pills twice a day."
Robinson said as her client, Becquer was responsible for Pankratz's medical care and should have known what he was supposed to be taking.
Becquer was already in the Tarrant County Jail on the earlier endangerment charges when Arlington police said they charged her with one count of murder in connection with Pankratz's death.
Police said they're still looking into all the other deaths linked to Becquer, including Karen Walker.
Walker died in October of 2022 at one of Becquer's homes in Mansfield.
The medical examiner initially listed her cause of death as natural, by hypertensive cardiovascular disease. But now, that's getting another look.
“The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office is currently reviewing that death and the results of that review are still pending," Robinson said.
Investigators said they are also doing a handwriting analysis on Walker's will, which was dated just about two weeks before her death, and leaves her entire estate to Becquer, including an Arlington home that later became part of Becquer's company.
Police said investigating each death is a long process, because some people died months, or even over a year, before police got ahold of the case.
"And so, many of the clients had already been cremated, buried, or their bodies were donated to science, making it challenging to investigate these deaths more thoroughly," Robinson said.
But they said they are looking into every avenue of investigation.
"Whether it's 20 whether it ends up being 22 or more, every one of them is going to get looked at completely but I've got to go we've got to go down the line and do a full investigation on each one, so it’s taking time," said Officer Chris Powell.
Police said they have found, and made contact with, loved ones for 80% of Becquer's clients who died.
“I've been doing this as an officer for 20 to 23 years now and I've never seen anything like this," Powell said. "It's been incredibly disturbing."
Arlington police said Wednesday that Becquer is being held in the Tarrant County Jail on bonds totaling $1.5 million. In court papers filed in Tarrant County on June 14, bond conditions were set, including requiring Becquer to surrender her passport and wear a GPS leg monitor, and she is not allowed to leave Tarrant County or go near its airports.
Police said their investigation into Becquer and her company, Love and Caring for People LLC, continues.
"This is a complex and very wide ranging investigation and it is not over," said Powell.
NBC 5 reached out to Becquer's attorney for a response to her charges and allegations but they declined to comment.
Officers have asked the public to help them find more homes that may be under Becquer's company. They would also like to speak with current or past Love and Caring for People LLC clients and their family members. Police said Becquer had five assisted living homes, and police said there could be more:
- 1210 Woodbrook Street in Arlington
- 7411 Lake Whitney Drive in Arlington
- 7419 Fossil Creek Drive in Arlington
- 2059 Turtle Cove Drive in Mansfield
- 1852 Hidden Brook Drive in Grand Prairie
Anyone with information is asked to call a special hotline set up by Arlington police and the Tarrant County District Attorney's office at 817-575-3230.
