Beaumont Murder Case from 2021 Reopened After Tip Leads to Arrest

Detectives with the Beaumont Police Department have charged a suspect in the 2021 death of 39-year-old Shanequa Castaneda after a tip to Crime Stoppers prompted a re-investigation.

Castaneda was found deceased in her apartment on June 2, 2021. At the time, the cause of death was not classified as a homicide. In 2025, police received a tip from an individual stating that 43-year-old Michael Denson had admitted to killing Castaneda.

Following the tip, detectives reopened the case and re-interviewed Denson and other witnesses. Investigators also discovered that Denson had recently been accused of other violent crimes with a similar pattern of strangulation, which remain under investigation.

On November 24, 2025, after being re-interviewed and a review by a forensic pathologist, the manner of Castaneda’s death was officially ruled a homicide. Denson has now been charged with murder and is currently in jail on both the murder charge and an unrelated aggravated sexual assault case.

The Beaumont Police Department thanked the individual who came forward, emphasizing the importance of community tips in helping bring justice, even years after a crime occurred.