Nearly three years after a deadly shooting on the southwest side, a high-traffic stretch of the South Loop is still carrying the weight of an unsolved killing. The victim, identified by community tip groups as 32-year-old Effani Chiedu Alexander, was found shot in the driver’s seat of a vehicle on the night of April 20, 2023, near the South Loop West feeder road and South Main Street. Witnesses reported a black sedan tearing away from the scene, and so far no one has been arrested. Now, with a fresh cash reward on the table, officials are hoping someone who has stayed quiet will finally speak up.
Investigation details
According to an April 21, 2023 news release from the Houston Police Department, officers were called to a shooting at 3200 South Loop West service road. When they arrived, they found a vehicle riddled with several bullet holes and the victim unresponsive inside. Alexander was pronounced dead at the scene.
In that initial report, HPD noted that a witness heard gunfire, then saw a black sedan speeding away from the area. At the time, detectives had no known suspects and publicly asked for help, directing anyone with information to call the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Crime Stoppers posts reward
To shake loose new leads, Crime Stoppers of Houston is now offering up to $5,000 for information that leads to the location and arrest of suspects, as reported by FOX 26 Houston. The station reports that Crime Stoppers publicly identified the victim as 32-year-old Effani Chiedu Alexander.
For tipsters eyeing the reward, there is a catch that is familiar in these cases: to qualify for a payout, information has to go directly through Crime Stoppers. The group lists its phone line, 713-222-TIPS, along with an online tip portal and mobile app for anonymous submissions on its website, according to Crime Stoppers of Houston.
Witness accounts and scene
Coverage at the time described Alexander’s vehicle as a Cadillac Escalade hit with multiple rounds in the driver’s side door, according to KPRC Click2Houston. A witness reported the shooting and the fleeing sedan, details that matched what investigators later shared publicly.
KPRC also reported a chaotic twist at the crime scene itself. A separate suspected drunk driver allegedly plowed through the active homicide scene, endangering HPD officers who were working the case, before being arrested. Even as detectives worked to lock down the roadway and gather physical evidence, they were already asking nearby drivers and residents to turn over any surveillance or cellphone footage that might show the suspect vehicle.
How to help
Investigators say the case is still open and in need of fresh eyes and memories. Anyone with information is urged to call HPD Homicide at 713-308-3600 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS, through the Crime Stoppers mobile app, or via its online tip form. Crime Stoppers has said it may pay up to $5,000 for tips that lead to an arrest, and stresses that only information passed directly to the organization is eligible for a reward.
Detectives are also encouraging residents and businesses in the South Loop West and South Main area to review dashcam clips and security camera footage from the night of April 20, 2023. Even a quick glimpse of a black sedan at the right time, they say, could help point them toward whoever pulled the trigger.
