Actor Akili McDowell was often seen armed and dealing marijuana at his Houston apartment complex where he’s accused of fatally shooting a man last month, neighbors told DailyMail.com.
The 21-year-old, who had roles in the Oprah Winfrey Network series David Makes Man and Showtime drama Billions, was arrested and charged with the July 20 murder of 20-year-old Cesar Peralta last week.
McDowell is accused of shooting Peralta multiple times in the parking lot of the Thorntree Apartments, where the victim had lived with his girlfriend and their one-year-old son.
Initial reports did not specify how McDowell was identified as a suspect or his connection to Peralta.
But neighbors and relatives told DailyMail.com that the budding actor was known as a small time dealer nicknamed ‘the weed man’ from whom Peralta had bought drugs moments before the fatal shooting.
Akili McDowell, who had roles in the Oprah Winfrey Network series David Makes Man and Showtime drama Billions, was arrested and charged with murder last week
The young actor is accused of fatally shooting 20-year-old Cesar Peralta on July 20 outside the Houston apartment complex where both men lived
Speaking to DailyMail.com on Wednesday, Peralta’s sister, who also lives in the complex, said her brother was a mechanic who had come to the US from Honduras when he was 11.
She revealed Peralta was an aspiring rapper and became acquainted with McDowell, who promised to connect him with his producer.
She confirmed reports that the young dad-of-one had been buying marijuana from him at the time, during which she claims McDowell shot him ‘for no reason.’
On the night of the shooting, prosecutors say Peralta had pulled up to the complex in a car with another individual and had been talking to McDowell outside.
The two then got into a ‘fistfight’ during which McDowell allegedly pulled out a pistol and shot Peralta once.
As Peralta attempted to turn back to his car, McDowell fired ‘again and again’, before fleeing the scene, prosecutors said.
Peralta sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
His family has since launched a GoFundMe to raise money for to give him a proper burial in his home country of Honduras.
Locals told DailyMail.com McDowell had moved into a one-bedroom apartment at the complex in May and was seen making drug deals armed with a pistol holstered on his hip on multiple occasions.
Neighbor Robert Garretson, 72, a Vietnam veteran battling cancer, told DailyMail.com he often saw McDowell carrying a gun and revealed he had his own tense encounter with him weeks earlier.
He claimed McDowell threatened him after Garretson complained about his friend parking in his assigned space at the apartment parking lot.
‘I often saw him carrying a black glock in his waistband,’ Garretson said. ‘I’m not scared of him, I survived Vietnam and now I have cancer. I don’t have any worries about dying.’
The veteran said he had been in bed in his ground-level apartment after undergoing chemo when he heard gunfire ring out.
The young actor was living in the Thorntree Apartment complex (pictured) in Houston, where he is accused of fatally shooting neighbor Cesar Peralta on July 20
Neighbors said the rising television star, who had moved into a one-bedroom apartment at the complex in May, was often seen armed with a pistol holstered on his hip while making drug deals
Neighbor Robert Garretson, 72, told DailyMail.com of his own tense encounter with McDowell weeks ago, after he complained about him the actor parking in his assigned space
He looked out the window to see McDowell running back towards his apartment.
‘Moments later, I saw Akili with his keys in his hand running toward his car. He drove out of the parking lot so fast he almost hit another car,’ he added.
Another neighbor, who lived next door to McDowell and did not want to be named, said his apartment and surrounding area smelled of marijuana ’24/7.’
She said he had several people coming and going, mostly during the day, and was seen constantly running up and down the stairs to meet with customers in the parking lot.
The neighbor said she had also seen him on several occasions with his holstered pistol on his hip.
Property management confirmed McDowell had moved into a one-bedroom unit for $940 a month after claiming to earn an income of $5,500 at a company called Kleening Kingz.
But court filings seen by DailyMail.com show he had filed paperwork stating he wasn’t employed and lived with family members at a different address.
The property officials also said he’s had two run-ins with a few older tenants in complex, for parking in the wrong spot and even threatened the life of one of them.
McDowell was arrested last Thursday at his family home, about two miles from the Thorntree Apartments. A woman who answered the door at the property declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com this week.
General view of McDowell’s family home, where he was arrested for murder last week
McDowell is known for starring as David in OWN’s David Makes Man – he is pictured with executive producers Oprah Winfrey, Michael B. Jordan and Tarell Alvin McCraney at the 2019 premiere
He was booked into Harris County Jail on charges of murder and theft and is being held on $400,000 bond.
Court records show McDowell was appointed a public defender who requested bond be set at $10,000. His next court date is October 9.
According to court documents, McDowell was ‘charged with murder while on bond for theft – a charge stemming from a July 2023 misdemeanor case after McDowell allegedly stole a pair of headphones from a local Walmart.
Cherita Hogan, a fraud investigator in the case, told DailyMaill.com McDowell had actually been arrested twice in a span of a few weeks last summer.
‘His first arrest was for some minor electronics, he was given a trespassing warning and told not to return to the store,’ she said.
‘At first he gave police a fake name and he was told that they would run his fingerprints to get his real name, at that point he told police his real name.
A few weeks later Akili came back into the store, according to Hogan.
‘He was spotted in the electronics department taking some Apple Airpods. Store security went to the area to investigate and he heard them talking about him.’
She said McDowell, who was dressed in layers, took off his jacket and shirt in a bid to conceal his identity and change his appearance.
David Makes Man followed a 14-year-old named David from the projects ‘who is haunted by the death of his friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty
He guest-starred as Savion Williams in Billions in 2020 – pictured with Damien Lewis
He was eventually located in the store and taken into the security office where he was found with a crack pipe in his pockets, Hogan said.
‘He didn’t say a word about the crack pipe. He was polite the entire time, of course he denied any shoplifting,’ she added.
Hogan said she had no idea who he was until that arrest, ‘one of the security guards at Walmart went to high school with Akili and recognized him.
She said part of her is shocked by his arrest for murder, adding: ‘But then again you never know what someone is capable of.’
McDowell’s manager Jonell Whitt told Law & Crime the arrest was a ‘an unfortunate situation and I am in prayer for Akili and those impacted by this tragedy.
‘I respectfully have no comment at this time.’
McDowell is known for starring as David in OWN’s David Makes Man which followed a 14-year-old named David from the projects ‘who is haunted by the death of his friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty.’
The show was executive produced by broadcasting icon Oprah Winfrey and actor Michael B. Jordan and ran for two seasons. It scored a Critics Choice Awards nomination for Best Drama Series in 2019.
He guest-starred as Savion Williams in Billions in 2020, as well as the role of Zavier Gibbs in The Astronaut Wives Club.
Last month his newest project, The Waterboyz was among the winners of this year’s Best of ABFF Awards at the American Black Film Festival.
