Wendell Dechaun Lee, a 25-year-old aspiring professional basketball player, tragically lost his life on September 21, 2015, in Willowbrook, California. Lee was visiting a friend and standing outside her home on Elva Avenue when a sedan pulled up. A man exited the vehicle from the back driver's side and, without uttering a word, opened fire on Lee with an assault-style weapon. Lee was struck multiple times in the upper torso.
Despite being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead at 12:46 a.m. on September 22, 2015.
Lee was a promising athlete, having been one of 40 players invited to try out for the Los Angeles D-Fenders, a minor league team affiliated with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was also a standout basketball player at Colorado State University at Pueblo, where he scored over 200 points in two seasons. Beyond his athletic pursuits, Lee was known for his musical talents as a singer and pianist, and he described himself as a 'church-going, God-fearing man.'
The investigation into Lee's murder revealed that the shooter was a black male, aged between 20 and 28 years old, standing approximately 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall. The vehicle involved was identified as a silver Saturn Vue Red Line edition, manufactured between 2003 and 2007. Despite these details, the case remains unsolved, and no arrests have been made. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Lee's death. Lee's mother, Merry Matthews, made a public plea for the perpetrator to turn themselves in, emphasizing that no amount of alcohol or drugs could erase the guilt of the crime.
The community and law enforcement continue to seek justice for Wendell Dechaun Lee, hoping that someone with information will come forward to help solve this tragic case.
