Left: Akili McDowell speaks with Oprah about his role in David Makes Man in 2019 (OWN).
An actor in several popular television series who years ago was dubbed a “rising star” was arrested last week in Texas in connection with a fatal shooting that authorities say was a murder.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said that the shooting happened on July 20 in an apartment complex parking lot on North Thorntree Drive in Houston, that the suspect or suspects fled, and that a 20-year-old was found dead at the scene.
Investigators have since identified the victim as Cesar Peralta and the murder suspect as 21-year-old Akili McDowell, an actor in TV series including “Billions,” “The Astronaut Wives Club,” and “David Makes Man.”
In 2019, McDowell spoke with Oprah Winfrey about getting the starring role at the age of 15 in “David Makes Man,” a story about a “14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty.”
McDowell also had a role in the John Travolta film “Criminal Activities” as a youth, his IMDB page says.
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Charging documents say that McDowell “on or about July 20, 2024, did then and there unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly cause the death of Cesar Peralta, hereinafter called the Complainant, by shooting the Complainant with a deadly weapon, namely a firearm,” in an “act clearly dangerous to human life[.]”
Harris County Jail records say that McDowell was booked Thursday on a murder charge. He is listed as in custody as of Monday morning on a $400,000 bond.
Akili McDowell (Harris County Sheriff’s Office)
Jail records also show a theft charge but that appears to be connected to a misdemeanor case that began in July 2023 after McDowell allegedly stole a pair of headphones. Documents stated that he was “charged with murder while on bond for theft.”
The defendant is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
Reached by Law&Crime, McDowell’s manager Jonell Whitt said that “[t]his is an unfortunate situation and I am in prayer for Akili and those impacted by this tragedy.”
“I respectfully have no comment at this time,” Whitt added.
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