Suspect charged in ‘Wendy's Guy' homicide
The Austin Police Department have charged 38-year old Nikolas Ray Eller with Aggravated assault earlier this week for his role in the April death of Junior Mohammed, better known to many as “The Wendy’s Guy.”
According to APD Eller, who was already in the Travis County Jail on an unrelated charge, and Junior got into an altercation on April 8th. An off-duty police officer found Junior slumped over on a bench. He had been critically injured in the fight.
Police said Junior was taken to a hospital where he died three days later. His death was ruled a homicide.
Prior to his death, Junior was a beloved figure at the University of Texas for more than a decade, working at the Wendy’s in the Student Union. His personality made him a hit with UT staff and students. So much so that a movie was made about him.
"The impact that Junior has at the University of Texas was amazing to me.” Stephen Stephanian, the director of Junior’s film, said in a 2006 interview, "We pretty much filled up the whole auditorium at Texas Union Theater. It was a great screening. It was very well received."
Junior would later fall on hard times, becoming homeless. UT alum Benjamin McPhaul recognized him on the street and tried to help him out by starting a go-fund-me account which raised more $30,000.
Even down on his luck, McPhaul said Junior still had that same spark that thousands of students fell in love with.
"Even though he's in a tough situation he was still the same guy that was behind the Wendy’s counter. He's still upbeat, smiling and laughing," McPhaul said in a 2014 interview.
Eller remains in jail. His bond was set at $150,000.