X'zavier Roberts was just 19 years old when he was shot and killed on Hoover Avenue in Chesapeake's South Norfolk neighborhood shortly after 9 p.m. on June 30, 2020. More than six years later, his killer has never been identified, and Chesapeake police are once again asking the public for help cracking the case.
Roberts was a resident of neighboring Norfolk. 13News Now reported that police responded around 9:11 p.m. to the 1700 block of Hoover Avenue, while the city's case page places the killing in the 1800 block. Friends who were near the scene told investigators Roberts had gone there to meet someone, according to WAVY.com. Police are now hoping someone in the community can fill in the blanks: who Roberts was in contact with that evening, why he went to Hoover Avenue, and what unfolded in the moments before he was shot.
Friends Nearby Didn't See the Shooting
Friends who were near the scene did not see who shot Roberts, according to the City of Chesapeake's case file. Detectives and the Chesapeake Crime Line are asking the public to share any information that could help solve the case, according to the City of Chesapeake.
Roberts' case now falls under the Chesapeake Police Department's Crimes Against Persons Squad, a team of nine detectives overseen by a detective sergeant that handles homicides, suspicious deaths, missing persons, robberies, and violent assaults across the city, per the city's official records. The squad handles homicides and other violent crimes across Chesapeake.
A City Carrying Decades of Open Murder Cases
Chesapeake has more than 100 unsolved homicide cases. Public appeals have also sought tips on unsolved cases.
The WAVY-TV report also covered efforts to seek tips on unsolved cases. Roberts' case remains unsolved.
A Killing in South Norfolk
Roberts' killing is one violent crime that took place in South Norfolk, a Chesapeake neighborhood.
For Roberts' family, the six-year wait for answers continues.
How To Submit a Tip
Anyone with information on who Roberts communicated with that night, why he went to Hoover Avenue, or what happened before he was killed is urged to come forward. Information leading to an arrest in the case carries a reward of up to $5,000, higher than the standard $1,500 cap on general felony tips, under Chesapeake Crime Line guidelines. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, through the P3 Tips app, or by visiting P3Tips.com.
