Charles Decloute, a 62-year-old Black man, was shot inside a home in the 2000 block of Sixth Street in Orange, Texas, on the night of Monday, May 26, 2025. Police were called just before 9:45–9:50 p.m. and found him with a gunshot wound to the head. First responders took him to CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont, where he was pronounced dead in the early hours that followed. An autopsy was ordered as detectives opened a homicide investigation.
In the immediate aftermath, officials asked for tips from the public while piecing together what led to the gunfire. Early reports indicated shots were fired into the residence, and relatives told local media that Decloute had been visiting when he was struck. Investigators worked the scene and canvassed for evidence and witnesses as the community learned the victim's name and age.
Within days, detectives announced two arrests connected to the killing. James Williams, 24, of Beaumont, was taken into custody by Orange Police, and Robert Bill, 21, of Stafford, was arrested in the Houston area by Houston Police and Harris County Constable Precinct 3 on a murder warrant. Authorities said Williams was booked into the Orange County jail on a $1,000,000 bond, while Bill was held without bond in Harris County. Police also publicly thanked neighboring agencies for their assistance and continued to encourage anyone with information to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers.
As news of the case spread, obituary notices and memorial posts confirmed Decloute's identity and the date of his death, while community outlets shared funeral details and tributes that followed in early June. Those remembrances stood alongside the criminal case updates, reflecting both the loss felt by family and friends and the ongoing effort by law enforcement to fully document what happened on Memorial Day night.
