Affidavit reveals victim was killed with a concrete block, suspect charged with murder

DALLAS - A 23-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the fatal beating of a man in South Dallas last month, authorities said.

David Brown Jr was taken into custody on Monday, July 6, 2026, by the U.S. Marshals’ task force, according to the Dallas Police Department. Brown was booked into jail on a first-degree murder charge.

New details

What we know:

The arrest stems from a June 18, 2026, incident in the 4800 block of Second Avenue. Dallas police officers responded to an emergency disturbance and ambulance call at 9 p.m. after 911 callers reported a man had been struck in the face with a large brick and that another suspect was armed with a baseball bat.

Upon arrival, officers found 40-year-old John Nelson unresponsive on the ground. Nelson was taken by Dallas Fire-Rescue to Baylor University Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, homicide detective Yahir Perez recovered a blood-stained concrete block at the scene. A witness told investigators she saw a suspect drop a large brick on Nelson's head before another suspect placed a wooden baseball bat inside a vehicle and left.

Surveillance video from surrounding businesses captured a suspect matching the description arriving in a Nissan Sentra, walking toward the field where the homicide happened, and returning two minutes later to wash his hands in a puddle of water.

Investigators identified Brown as the suspect from the surveillance footage. The witness later positively identified Brown in a photo lineup as the individual who struck Nelson with the brick, the affidavit states.

What you can do:

The case remains under active investigation. Authorities urge anyone with additional information to contact Detective Perez at 469-849-3757 or via email at yahir.perez@dallaspolice.gov.

South DallasCrime and Public Safety