Beaumont Police Make Arrest in October Murder of Homeless Man

On Sunday, October 29, 2023, at approximately 6:45 pm, Beaumont Police Officers responded to a report of a deceased person in a vacant lot near Avenue C and Crockett Street. Upon arrival, officers discovered a decomposed body wrapped in a sleeping bag, tarp, and covered with tires. The victim was identified as Johnny Tomlinson, a 65-year-old transient man from Beaumont. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and the case was classified as a homicide.

Investigators gathered information leading to the identification of Isaac Platt, a 34-year-old Beaumont man, as the suspect in the case. Following further investigation, Platt was interviewed and confessed to the murder, providing details about the incident.

On December 6, 2023, investigators obtained a First Degree Murder Warrant for Isaac Platt. At the time of issuance, Platt was already in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility for unrelated charges. Consequently, he was booked on the additional murder charge.

Judge Collins set Platt’s bond at $950,000.