January 23, 2012 - Charges have been filed against a suspect arrested in the beating death of a man found at 5425 Malmedy about 10 a.m. on January 8. 

The suspect, Vicente Eddie Matta (H/m, DOB: 6-25-93), is charged with capital murder in the 182nd State District Court.  He is accused in the killing of Ali Dehghani, 62, of Houston, who suffered blunt trauma and multiple stab wounds and died at the scene.  A photo of suspect Matta is attached to this news release. 

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant W. Bush and Senior Police Officer R. Swainson reported: 

Mr. Dehghani, who operates several rent houses in the Houston area, left his residence on Monday morning (Jan. 7) to check some of the houses and do necessary maintenance.  When Dehghani did not return home, family members initiated a search at several locations and filed a missing persons report.  Family members then arrived at the above address, a vacant rental home Dehghani owns, and found him deceased inside the residence.  According to family members, Dehghani's vehicle, a silver 2006 Honda Accord, with Texas license plates THD-306, was stolen.  Dehghani's vehicle was later recovered. 

Further investigation developed information that identified Matta as the suspect in this case.  He was taken into custody by the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force on Monday (Jan. 21) without incident.  Matta has admitted to investigators his involvement in Dehghani's death.