On January 17, 2024, 37-year-old Alex Ramirez Garcia was shot while clearing snow in the parking lot of a Montessori school in Ellicott City, Maryland. A citizen found him outside his vehicle around 8:45 a.m. suffering from a gunshot wound; he was taken to a local hospital and died overnight. Investigators believe he may have been shot hours before he was discovered and have called the killing a homicide, saying it did not appear to be a random act.

Howard County Police later identified a suspect and issued an arrest warrant for 25-year-old Alexander Molina Rodriguez of Gwynn Oak, charging him with first-degree murder and firearm violations. Authorities say Rodriguez and Garcia were known to one another and that law enforcement believes Rodriguez has fled the United States; an active homicide warrant remains for his arrest.

If anyone knew Alex Ramirez Garcia or has information about the shooting or the whereabouts of Alexander Molina Rodriguez, please contact the Howard County Police.