Layvon Suell

Layvon Suell, a charismatic and loving 27-year-old father, was building a life in Houston, Texas, pursuing his dreams as an up-and-coming entertainer. Originally from Detroit, the Black man had moved to Houston in 2011 for college. After graduating from Texas Southern University, he chose to make the city his home, growing his music career while being a devoted father to his two young daughters. Friends and family remembered him as charming, caring, truthful, and pure. His friend Elyse Washington described him as "so charismatic," while Karis Lane called him "the greatest man, the greatest father." His loved ones were adamant that he was a gentle and sweet person who would not have been involved in the kind of violence that took his life.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, January 9, 2021, Layvon’s promising future was cut short. At approximately 2:45 a.m., he had just left the Space Nightclub in Midtown Houston and was crossing the street in the 1100 block of McIlhenny Street, near San Jacinto Street. Witnesses saw a man in a hoodie approach him. The man pulled out a gun and opened fire, striking Layvon multiple times. He was found by Houston Police Department patrol officers lying in the middle of the street and was pronounced dead at the scene. The shooting was one of five separate, violent incidents that occurred in the Houston area over a span of just six hours that night, resulting in three deaths. Friends stated that Layvon was not robbed during the attack, and a motive for the shooting has never been released by investigators.

The Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division launched an investigation into the murder. About six months later, in June 2021, authorities released composite sketches of two men wanted for questioning. The first was a man in his late 20s known by the street names "Dope" or "Dope Boy." Police described him as being between 5'5" and 5'8" tall, weighing around 230 pounds, with a short afro and dark complexion. He was known to sell crack cocaine in Midtown and downtown Houston, often riding a mountain bike, and was believed to always carry a 9mm pistol. He was said to be originally from Houston's Third Ward.

The second person of interest was an older man, about 40, known as "Dope Fiend" or "KB." He was described as being taller and thinner, between 6'1" and 6'2" and weighing 140 to 150 pounds, with a light complexion and a "6-pack." He was bald and had a distinctive tattoo of feathers or wings along his hairline. Police said he was known to hang out with "Dope Boy" and sold a substance called "wax" or "Turkey Dope," which mimics crack cocaine. He was reportedly from San Antonio. Despite the release of these detailed descriptions and sketches, no arrests have been made in connection with Layvon's murder.

In the years since his death, Layvon's family and friends have continued to fight for justice, determined that he would not become just another statistic. His murder was one of 473 in Houston in 2021, a year that saw a significant increase in homicides. His friend and manager, Mesiah, said, "I don't want him to be a forgotten number, because he was somebody who was loved. He was a father, a brother, a son, great friend, with a good spirit." Jazzie Tyler, the mother of his 5-year-old daughter Kailee, spoke of her pain, saying, "I hate they have to grow up without him."

On the first anniversary of his death, loved ones gathered for a vigil near the corner where he was killed, remembering the man they had lost and pleading for answers. "I play it over in my head. What was going on? Who were these people? I have so many questions," Tyler said. As of January 2022, the case remains unsolved, and the two men identified for questioning are still sought by police. Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information that leads to the charging and/or arrest of the suspect or suspects responsible for the murder of Layvon Suell. Anyone with information is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.