William Henry Blake, 59, was fatally shot in the torso during an attempted robbery at a convenience store on the North Freeway in Houston on January 21, 2022. The shooting happened shortly before 6 p.m.; police found Blake’s body in a grassy area next to a Texaco gas station.

Investigators identified David Cleo Elliott as the shooter after reviewing surveillance video from the scene. The record lists prior offenses including criminal trespassing, evading arrest, robbery, and aggravated robbery.

Police say Elliott was also involved in an earlier incident at the same Texaco on December 27, 2021, when a woman’s Toyota Camry was taken after he demanded her keys and threatened her; the car was later recovered but her cellphone was missing. No bond was granted at Elliott’s initial appearance on the murder charge and the investigation remains active. If anyone has information about William Blake’s killing, contact the Houston Police Homicide Division or Crime Stoppers.