“I love my good friend”: a man beaten to death on Father’s Day, his stepson taken into police custody

HOUSTON – A father was found beaten to death early on the morning of Father’s Day and his stepson was arrested.

The Houston Police Department responded to a 911 call at an apartment complex near Sherwood Lane in northwest Houston around 5:45 a.m.

Detectives say when officers broke down the apartment door, they found 71-year-old Bill Fazenbaker dead inside the home. He would have been beaten.

“There’s broken furniture,” the sergeant said. Michael Cass of the Houston Police Department. “And like I said, our 71-year-old victim is severely beaten in the face and body.”

Neighbors identify the victim as Bill.

“Oh my God. I can’t believe it,” one of the neighbors said. “(She was a) good person.”

Choking back tears, the neighbor – who did not want to be identified – said he has lived next door to Bill for almost a decade.

He remembers the moment he received a phone call telling him that Bill had been killed.

“They just told me Bill, someone killed Bill,” they said.

The Houston Police Department said its only suspect was Bills’ son-in-law, Ricky Ray Allen Jr. He was arrested at a nearby convenience store, according to detectives.

The stepson was taken to HPD headquarters for questioning.

“He is currently incarcerated at the Harris County Jail,” said Sgt. Cass. “I can’t really divulge any names at this point. But honestly, it’s sad to see this event on Father’s Day.

HPD has not yet released the charges against Allen.