“David Makes Man” actor Akili McDowell has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting a man to death. According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a shooting call and found an unresponsive male with gunshot wounds.
According to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, “On July 20, 2024, Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an incident that occurred in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 13503 North Thorntree, near Wallisville and Uvalde (East Harris County). An adult male (possibly in his 20s) sustained gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Suspect(s) fled the scene.”
Witnesses reported a physical altercation between the victim, Cesar Peralta, and another individual who fled the scene on foot, according to the police report. McDowell was subsequently arrested and charged with murder. He is currently in custody and being held on a $400,000 bond.
Gonzalez said in an update that homicide investigators had charged Akili McDowell, 21, with murder in the shooting death of Cesar Peralta, 20.
“The investigation is ongoing and we encourage anyone with info to contact the Homicide Unit at 713-274-9100,” the sheriff said in a statement.
McDowell has also appeared in television shows such as “Billions” and “The Astronaut Wives Club,” as well as the recent film “The Waterboyz.”
His manager, Jonell Whitt, expressed condolences but declined to comment further on the situation, stating, “This is an unfortunate situation and I am in prayer for Akili and those impacted by this tragedy,” in a statement to Law and Crime.
The actor sat down for an interview in 2019 about “David Makes Man”with Oprah Winfrey, whose “OWN Network” produced the show.
McDowell was 15 when he secured the role in the series that followed a young teen prodigy grappling with the aftermath of his friend’s death, while shouldering the pressure of lifting his family out of poverty.
Speaking on the impact of his role, McDowell told Winfrey, “For me, it feels like this whole series is saying that kids who grew up like this, who have this kind of trauma and chaos in their life, it’s like saying you can be something.”
In addition to the murder charges, McDowell has a court date on Aug. 6 for a misdemeanor theft charge from July 2023. He is accused of stealing a pair of headphones. He is scheduled to appear on Oct. 9 for the murder charges.