On Jan. 26, 2021, 23-year-old Chinyelu Humphrey was shot and killed while sitting in his car in Avalon Village in Highland Park. His mother, community organizer Shamayim “Mama Shu” Harris, says she watched the shooting from her home and has spent years pressing police and prosecutors for answers. She has taken that search public, paying for a billboard and speaking to the media, but the case remains unsolved and the family says they are still waiting for action.
Mama Shu Says She Knows Who Killed Him
According to FOX 2 Detroit, Harris has repeatedly named the person she believes pulled the trigger. She told the station that she believes the suspected gunman is currently jailed on an unrelated charge. She wants detectives to question him and move the investigation forward. FOX 2’s Crime Stoppers segment on Humphrey’s killing aired in May 2025 after Harris paid for a billboard to push authorities and reach potential witnesses.
The Night He Died
As reported by ClickOnDetroit, Humphrey was shot around 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 26, 2021, while parked in a grassy lot facing his mother’s home. He was on neighborhood watch duty when someone walked up to his vehicle and opened fire. Humphrey was found dead at the scene. The outlet also reported that Harris said she had to re-file her police report after the original was lost, and that the lot where he was killed was not initially secured as a proper crime scene.
Avalon Village and the Long Fight
The killing reshaped the work at Avalon Village, the block-long community project Harris founded to turn vacant lots into parks, gardens and a Homework House for neighborhood kids. According to The Avalon Village, a shrine on the property honors Chinyelu, and the group’s programming has continued even as his mother presses for answers. Neighbors describe Humphrey’s death as both a personal tragedy and a lingering, unresolved wound for the community.
Why Cases Stall
According to the Murder Accountability Project, national data show that homicide clearance rates have fallen in recent years, which means more killings go unsolved and families wait longer for justice. Advocates and reporters note that smaller police departments often lack the staff, time and specialized resources needed for lengthy, evidence-heavy investigations, which can slow or stall prosecutions.
Where Investigators Stand
Local reporting indicates that Highland Park later turned Humphrey’s case over to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, but his family says follow-up has been limited. ClickOnDetroit reported that investigators and the prosecutor’s office did not respond to media questions about the case, leaving the family’s concerns unresolved.
How To Help
Anyone with information about Humphrey’s killing can submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers of Michigan, which offers both a hotline and an online form. According to Crime Stoppers of Michigan, callers can reach its tip line at 1-800-SPEAK-UP, and anonymous tips can also be submitted online.
