Alex Noelssaint

Alex Noelssaint, a 27-year-old African-American man from Vero Beach, Florida, was a life cut tragically short by violence in the spring of 2017. His death left a void for those who knew him and a case for law enforcement that has remained without a conclusion for years. Though details about his personal life, his work, and his passions are not widely known, his loss is no less significant—a young man who should have had a future ahead of him.

In the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, April 23, 2017, the Tampa Police Department received a 9-1-1 call reporting a shooting in north Tampa. Officers were dispatched to the Tzadik Oaks Apartments, a complex located at 1250 E. 113th Avenue. When they arrived shortly before 4 a.m., they discovered a chaotic scene and found Alex suffering from critical gunshot wounds.

Emergency responders acted quickly, rushing Alex to Tampa General Hospital as a trauma alert. Despite the urgent medical care he received, the injuries he sustained were too severe. Alex Noelssaint was pronounced dead at the hospital, turning a shooting investigation into a homicide case. His death was one of two unrelated fatal shootings investigated by Tampa Police on that same day, marking a particularly violent 24-hour period for the city.

The investigation into Alex’s murder was immediately launched by the Tampa Police Department. Detectives began the painstaking work of processing the crime scene, searching for physical evidence, and trying to locate witnesses who could provide information about what happened in the moments leading up to the shooting. The area, part of the University neighborhood near the University of South Florida, has seen its share of crime, and investigators faced the difficult task of piecing together a narrative with limited public cooperation.

In the days and weeks that followed, police continued to seek leads. The case was publicized in local media, which noted that the investigation was active and ongoing. As of early 2018, Alex’s murder was officially classified as an unsolved homicide. No suspects were publicly identified, and no arrests were made, leaving the question of who was responsible, and why, unanswered.

The lack of resolution has been a heavy burden for those affected by Alex's death. Unsolved homicides leave a unique and painful scar on families and communities, a lingering uncertainty that compounds the grief of loss. For investigators, these "cold cases" represent a continued commitment, a puzzle they refuse to abandon in the hope that a new tip, a new technology, or a witness finally coming forward will provide the missing piece.

As of the last available reports, the murder of Alex Noelssaint remains an open and active investigation. The Tampa Police Department continues to ask for the public’s help in solving the case. Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay offered a reward of up to $3,000 for any information that leads to the identification and arrest of the person or persons responsible for his death. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Tampa Police Department or to submit an anonymous tip through the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-873-TIPS.