ARLINGTON, Texas — Investigators believe at least 13 people have died in boarding homes operated by a woman charged with endangering her sick and disabled tenants since September 2022, according to a search warrant obtained by WFAA.
The deaths allegedly occurred at four unlicensed bed and board homes connected to "Love and Caring for People, LLC," a company purporting to care for adults who need daily, supervised care. Hospitals refer patients to such unlicensed community living homes when they do not meet the criteria for care at a licensed group home.
The arrested suspect, Regla 'Su' Becquer, owns the business.
One of the deceased patients, Kelly Pankratz, was referred to Becquer's boarding homes after developing sepsis and breaking his ankle on the way back from the hospital, according to the search warrant. Pankratz also had a degenerative brain disease that can sometimes cause confusion.
His brother, Chris Devendorf, described Pankratz as artistic, talented, and kind.
"He wouldn't step on a bug," Devendorf said. "He was always there for people, opening doors and helping the elderly."
When Pankratz arrived at Becquer's home, Devendorf says his brother's condition worsened. Becquer didn't take Pankratz to his scheduled doctor's appointments, Devendorf said.
Devendorf and family friend Barton Gross say they struggled to stay in contact with Pankratz while he was at the facility.
"It was impossible," Gross said. "There was just no way to get ahold of him. No mailing address, where I could even send a card."
The pair say they repeatedly notified authorities, who did not remove Pankratz from the home.
Devendorf said he lost all contact with his brother for three or four months until Pankratz called in January.
"There was something different in his voice," Devendorf said about his brother. "He was slurring his speech. Sounded like he had something in his mouth."
Hours after that phone call, a medical examiner's report indicates Pankratz died in one of Becquer's homes. The medical examiner has not yet completed the autopsy, so the cause of death is unclear.
"I want to know if he was drugged," Devendorf told WFAA.
A search warrant indicates other victims, including some survivors, told relatives they believed they were being poisoned. Becquer allegedly moved patients from home to home to evade detection and often prevented the tenants from contacting their families.
The warrant also indicates Pankratz spent $100,000 in a six-month span under Becquer's care. Some purchases were made online, Devendorf said, adding that his brother did not have a phone or computer.
"I don't think it was him spending the money," Gross said. "He was frugal. Kelly was frugal to the point of being almost cheap."
Police say they believe Becquer stole victims' cars, used their debit cards without permission, and engaged in various forms of identity theft. A number of victims, including Pankratz, relinquished their power of attorney.
Another woman, Karen Walker, granted her estate to Becquer in a one-sentence, handwritten will dated 19 days before her death. She died at Becquer's Mansfield boarding home, a medical examiner's report says.
The Arlington Police Department has opened a forgery investigation related to the will.
Roger Simon, Walker's cousin who lives in Illinois, told WFAA Walker ended up in the care of Becquer after a hospital recommended her. Walker, who had diabetes, was otherwise healthy and of sound mind, Simon said.
"I just had a sense that it wasn't the right place for Karen," Simon said.
According to Simon, Becquer monitored every phone call he made to his cousin. Walker no longer sounded like herself in phone conversations.
"She just couldn't put a sentence together," Simon said. "I just thought, well, maybe she's got dementia."
One conversation in particular stood out to Simon.
"She told me she wanted to get out, because 'they're trying to kill me' she said," Simon told WFAA. "My gosh, it just sounded at that point unreal. I honestly didn't think that was really happening. I thought, well maybe she just wants to go back home."
Simon's last conversation with Walker was two weeks before her death.
"I asked her if she knew what power of attorney was, she said yes. I said, I'm gonna see about getting power of attorney for myself for her. Two weeks later, she was gone," Simon said.
Their last phone call ended abruptly.
"I wish there was something I could've done and been with Karen," Simon said.
The City of Arlington said in a statement that it does not have a requirement for an annual license to operate a community home in city limits, unlike the City of Dallas, which does require a license.
APD said they don't know the extent of how many boarding homes Becquer operated, as there's no tracking device for it. There is also no penalty for not being licensed, but there is a penalty for abuse in homes like these.
After securing ownership through probate court, Becquer began using Walker's as a boarding house.
Arlington police were called to the home in the 1200 block of Woodbrook Street on Nov. 20 last year after a neighbor alerted them that a patient had fallen on the ground in the backyard. Upon arrival, the warrant states officers learned it was a boarding home and found two other patients inside.
While police were still there, Becquer showed up on scene and she told one of her caretakers not to allow police "inside the home to check on the welfare of the patients," the warrant said. "Officers and EMS deemed that there was exigency to check the welfare of the other patients inside the home."
A neighbor told police he knew the previous owner of the home, Walker, who he didn't know to have any mental health problems but was suddenly being cared for by Becquer. A few months after Becquer began caring for her, she gained possession of Walker's house, documents show. Walker died on Oct. 26, 2022, according to the search warrant.
The search warrant details another conversation police had with another neighbor who said she was best friends with Walker for about 30 years, and that Walker's mental state was fine, but she was having issues walking. The neighbor said she would take Walker food or take out the trash.
That neighbor told police that the house "meant a lot to Karen's parents" and the neighbor did not understand how Becquer "would've obtained the house," the warrant said.
Walker went to the hospital, the neighbor told police, and she did not hear from Walker again. She told police she found out Walker was in hospice but didn't understand how.
Police had spoken with Becquer about the man who had fallen in the backyard, and the search warrant states that she told them he had fallen multiple times. However, Becquer changed her story, saying this was the first time he had snuck outside, documents show. She also told police he was receiving 24/7 care, but officers noted that this wasn't true.
A vehicle found in the driveway was linked to another man who had died on Oct. 20 last year, the warrant states. There had been a previous missing person report filed by the man's daughter, and her daughter later found out he had died in hospice care.
The warrant details numerous other instances of people living in homes owned by Becquer who reportedly were in hospice care or died in hospice care. Several of these patients, the warrant states, had been recommended to unlicensed homes owned by Becquer's company.
Other instances alleged in the warrant include patients calling 911, telling police they were being held against their will, that Becquer had been using their debit cards or social security express cards without permission, and that she had been giving patients drugs they weren't prescribed. The warrant details one instance where Becquer allegedly tried to take a patient to a Social Security Office in Grand Prairie to have her sign over her state and federal benefits to Becquer.
"It makes me feel sad and sick," Gross said. "Especially now that I've heard about all these other victims."
"I'm looking for justice for Kelly," Devendorf said. "Somewhere along the lines, this lady - this slipped through the cracks."
Medical City Healthcare said in a statement to WFAA that its Plus Care Network provides licensed post-hospital facility options, which are selected based on quality scores, overall rating, service offerings, capabilities and willingness to collaborate. However, MCH said Becquer's agency is not on its list for any services.
Texas Health also said they do not use Becquer's facilities.