Selemawi Tewolde, an Ethiopian man, was fatally shot on October 5, 1997, in an apartment parking lot in Houston, Texas. Franklin DeWayne Alix was identified as the shooter in that incident.

After Tewolde’s murder, Alix carried out a string of violent crimes: on October 13, 1997, he robbed a man at gunpoint in an apartment parking lot, and on November 30, 1997, he robbed another man and locked him in a car trunk. Alix was arrested on January 6, 1998, and was later charged with capital murder for Tewolde’s death and related offenses. He was convicted and sentenced to death.

The Houston Police Department Cold Case Squad continues to investigate and is seeking anyone with information about the case. If anyone has information about Selemawi Tewolde or the events surrounding his death, please share what is known with investigators.