Six years after beloved Cincinnati Avenue regular Chester "Chet" Woodward was stabbed to death while waiting for the Stanton Street streetcar, El Paso detectives have released security footage and are renewing their plea for tips in the unsolved case. Woodward was attacked near the Rockin' Cigar Bar, and investigators say the newly shared images could help identify someone who knows what happened that night. Friends and family, who have never stopped asking questions, are hoping this is the break they have been waiting for.
Crime scene and timeline
According to the El Paso Times Obituary, officers were called to the scene at about 10:42 p.m. on Sept. 18, 2019, and found Woodward suffering from stab wounds. He was taken to University Medical Center, where he later died. Woodward was 63 and known around the Cincinnati and Mesa street corridors as a blues player who spent years performing and hanging out in the neighborhood bars.
What the police released
Detectives say security footage collected during the investigation shows a man wearing a dark Levi's hooded jacket who may have "crucial information" that could help move the case forward, KVIA reported. The station noted that El Paso police distributed still images from the video to media outlets as part of a fresh push to shake loose new leads.
How to help
Anyone who recognizes the person in the footage, or who was near the Rockin' Cigar Bar on the night of the attack, is asked to call Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477 or submit an anonymous tip online at Crime Stoppers of El Paso. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward. Police stress that even small details, such as a face in a crowd or the make and model of a vehicle, can help turn a cold case into one that is ready for an arrest.
Remembering 'Chet'
Friends, bartenders, and area musicians remember Woodward as a blues drummer and singer who loomed large on Cincinnati and Mesa streets, a portrait described in a multi-part feature from El Chuqueno. Those who knew him say the renewed spotlight on his killing gives them hope that someone who has stayed quiet for years might finally speak up.
As of the police release this week, no arrests have been announced, and the homicide remains unsolved, investigators told KVIA. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers or the El Paso Police Department's Crimes Against Persons unit.
