A Beaumont woman has spoken out about her sister, who was found dead in 2021, following the recent arrest of a suspect linked to the case. On March 15, 2021, Shanequa Castaneda was discovered deceased in her apartment at the El Camino Homes in Beaumont, Texas. After a tip from Crime Stoppers this year, police arrested Michael Denson, 43, who reportedly confessed to the killing.
Patiaunce McCall, Castaneda’s younger sister, expressed her determination to honor her sister’s memory. “We’re like two peas in a pod. You saw her, you saw me,” McCall explained in an interview. “That’s why when I moved here without her, it was hard for both of us.” McCall described Castaneda, who was born premature, as an “angel” with a generous spirit. “Every day with her was a gift because we shouldn’t even have the years we had with her,” she said.
Castaneda was not only a beloved sister but also an advocate for women facing domestic violence. She had helped numerous individuals, including McCall, escape abusive situations. “It’s crazy how many women she got out of domestic violence situations,” McCall recalled. “I could literally name like seven different women alone, including myself.”
The relationship between Castaneda and Denson, the now-charged suspect, began when she was trying to assist him. “She was helping him, and it turned into a relationship,” McCall stated. Following her sister’s tragic death, the family learned the extent of the abuse Castaneda endured.
As the family navigates their grief, they hope Castaneda’s story will inspire others to seek help. “For those women out there and others that may be experiencing some type of domestic violence, please seek help,” McCall urged. “She’d want that. I feel like that’s what her legacy has become.”
Denson now faces a murder charge in connection with Castaneda’s death. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, assistance is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
