Man charged with murder in Persia Amarra Conway case, court records say

A nearly monthlong search for answers in Persia Amarra Conway’s death turned into a murder case this week, after Harris County authorities charged 22-year-old Daniel Ceron and booked him into the county jail. Court records say investigators tied Ceron to the killing through video, physical evidence and a later tip that he had confessed.

Conway, 33, was found dead on May 25 in the 8900 block of Country Creek near Brays Bayou in southwest Houston. Her body was discovered after family members and community advocates had already begun pressing police for more information, turning the case into a public demand for accountability as residents tried to understand what happened and why.

The evidence in the court file points to a violent attack and an effort to clean up after it. Investigators say Ceron beat Conway to death with his hands, then discarded a cell phone, slippers and pieces of acrylic nails. Court records also say video captured Ceron walking away from the scene after disposing of physical evidence. An autopsy reportedly found multiple blunt force injuries.

The case moved forward after a woman later called authorities to say Ceron had confessed, according to the records. Investigators also linked Ceron to a separate Fort Bend County burglary case involving an AutoZone where he worked. An AutoZone name tag found at the scene matched the preferred name tied to him, Trinity C., adding another piece to the trail that led detectives toward an arrest.

For Conway’s family, the charge offered the first clear step toward a criminal case after weeks of uncertainty. Michelle Simmons, Conway’s mother, had been publicly pushing for answers and said she passed information from community members to police after people began sharing photos and videos that helped identify the suspect. She also said she had received death threats as the case drew attention across Houston’s LGBTQ community.

A candlelight vigil held June 2 at the Montrose Center brought friends, loved ones and advocates together to honor Conway and call for stronger protection for transgender women, especially trans women of color. Even with the arrest, major questions remain, including the relationship between Conway and Ceron and the motive for the killing. Those gaps have left the case centered not just on one suspect, but on whether the investigation can fully answer the questions Conway’s family has been asking from the start.