Texas caregiver accused of stealing disabled man's settlement money and killing him

CHAMBERS COUNTY, Texas (TCD) -- A caregiver is in custody on suspicion of killing a 37-year-old wheelchair-bound man in 2020 and leaving his remains in a lake.

According to a news release from the Chambers County Sheriff's Office, on Oct. 13, 2020, detectives found Daniel Howey's body in Dutton Lake and determined he was the victim of foul play. Howey, who had intellectual and developmental disabilities, was reported missing out of Harris County at the time.

Deputies learned Carroll Richardson cared for Howey at the Caring Hands Group Home.

In May 2020, Howey reportedly received a significant settlement stemming from a personal injury case. Richardson allegedly "depleted Howey’s large settlement through various transactions, including large sums of money directed to himself, his associates, and his business."

According to the sheriff's office, investigators believe Richardson killed Howey in Chambers County after the victim "had threatened to report Richardson for the theft." Detectives allege Richardson worked with Shaun Sandles as a co-conspirator in Howey's killing.

On May 30, a Chambers County grand jury indicted Richardson and Sandles on charges of murder.

Officials arrested Richardson on June 3 while he was in court for an unrelated hearing in Harris County, and he was booked into the Chambers County Jail.

According to the sheriff's office, Sandles is currently in custody at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on unrelated charges out of Harris County.