BEHIND THE VERDICT: THE SKITTLES CASE

Serial Child Abductor and Abuser Sentenced to Life Submitted by: ADA Blake Penfield

William Beckam was a serial child abductor and sexual abuser who terrorized and victimized at least three children and one young adult in Dallas County. He nicknamed himself “Skittles” because of the unique identifying tattoos of the candy on his face. Beckam targeted children who were walking alone on the streets of Dallas and Irving, either luring or threatening them to compel them to get into his vehicle. He then drove the victims to remote locations, sexually assaulted them at gunpoint, and returned them to the location where they were abducted.

Through the incredible work of Detective Andrew Padrutt (Irving Police Department) and Detective Raungi Jones (Dallas Police Department), along with the outstanding forensic interviewers at the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, law enforcement was able to obtain solid identifying information about the assailant from the child victims shortly after their assaults. From those descriptions, leads were developed that led to the children positively identifying Beckam in a six-photo lineup.

Law enforcement arrested Beckam while he was wearing the exact articles of clothing described in one of the assaults. Additionally, a search of his residence yielded the specific type of firearm described by the victims. Cell phone evidence contained images of one of the abducted victims that Beckam had photographed during one of the assaults, as well as multiple images and videos of CSAM. The excellent work of the REACH clinic also yielded positive DNA matches linking the seminal fluid found on one of the victims to Beckam.

ADAs Blake Penfield and Kristen vanBolden prosecuted Beckam for the offense of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child with a Deadly Weapon. A Dallas County jury swiftly convicted him, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

This verdict brought justice for the victims and could not have happened without the earnest and coordinated efforts of every facet of the MDT.