Seventeen-year-old Derek Valdez was found fatally shot on May 26, 2023, at the Bayou Palms Apartments, 13455 Woodforest Boulevard in Houston. Harris County Sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of a shooting, discovered Valdez with a gunshot wound, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

In May 2024 investigators arrested a 15-year-old during an unrelated court appearance and charged that juvenile with murder in connection with Valdez’s death; the suspect’s identity has not been disclosed because of age. Authorities have not released details about how the shooting unfolded, a possible motive, or the relationship, if any, between Valdez and the suspect, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Does anyone who lived near Bayou Palms Apartments or who knew Derek have information that could help with this case?