Linden man murdered in New Boston

A New Boston teen is wanted in connection with a weekend shooting at a local apartment complex that left one teen dead and another in the hospital, police say.

The New Boston Police Department has issued a warrant for the arrest of Malaki Beckham, 19, of New Boston, for the shooting that happened at Dogwood Plaza apartments Saturday evening. The charge is capital murder, authorities say.

According to reports, authorities responded to shots fired in the 300 block of North Lindsey Street in New Boston. The shooting happened at about 5:40 p.m. Saturday.

Officers located two victims outside the apartments. The victims were being aided by two sisters who had used their shirts to attempt to stop bleeding, a bystander said.

The sisters were questioned as potential witnesses and released by authorities.

One of the victims, a 19-year-old man from Linden, Texas, identified Monday as Princeton Washington, Jr., was confirmed dead at the scene. He had been shot in the lower chest and lower back.

A second male teen was shot in the right shoulder and upper chest. He was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. The age of the second victim has not been released.

Police have not disclosed the relationship between the victims and suspects or the motive for the shooting.

Police say the second victim was listed in critical condition as of press time.

Authorities took a person of interest, a 20-year-old New Boston man, into custody at the apartment complex. Beckham allegedly fled the scene in the victim’s car. The Texarkana Crime Scene Unit was called in to assist in the investigation. Texas Department of Public Safety, DeKalb Police Department K-9 unit and Bowie County Sheriff ’s Office also responded. While investigators were on scene at the apartments, an NBPD officer located the victim’s car outside a house less than two miles away in the 100 block of Peggy Street in New Boston. The house was listed on Beckham’s drivers license as his last known residence, however, it was unoccupied and listed for sale at the time of the incident.

Police were told Beckham was hiding inside the house, authorities said.

The Texas DPS Special Response Team was deployed to gain entry into the house with the assistance of SRT tactical vehicles from Tyler and Garland.

In the early morning hours of Sunday, the team began clearing the house. The house and surrounding area were cleared at approximately 3:30 a.m., assisted by the DKPD K-9, with no sign of Beckham.

Police did remove a cell phone from the vehicle and entered it into evidence, but have not disclosed whether it belonged to one of the victims or suspects.

Beckham was still on the run as of press time. The investigation is ongoing. Beckham was arrested in 2022 for the armed robbery of the Paradise Quick Stop convenience store on McCoy Boulevard, and for using a stolen credit card.

In February of 2022, Beckham entered the convenience store carrying a pink backpack and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and face mask. After walking around the store for a few minutes, Beckham approached the clerk and produced a handgun demanding the money in the register.

Beckham fled the store with $80 cash and 53 vape cartridges. He was arrested the day after the robbery on an unrelated charge of credit card theft.

He stole his grandmother’s credit card and charged more than $500 worth of dog kennel materials at Tractor Supply.

He was released the following day on a personal recognizance bond, but arrested again the following day after evidence and interviews pointed to Beckham as the assailant in the armed robbery.

During the investigation of the robbery, it was determined the gun Beckham used was a BB pistol.

Due to the nature of the crime and his age, Beckham was charged as an adult.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in a Texas state jail for both crimes. Beckham was released from custody on probation in June 2023 and was ordered to complete five years of community service.

His probation was revoked and a warrant was issued for his arrest in January based on an affidavit from his probation officer, according to court records.

Beckham is considered armed and dangerous, authorities say.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Beckham is encouraged to contact NBPD at 903-628-3771.