Malcolm Alexander

Malcolm T. Alexander, a 35-year-old Black man from Richmond, Virginia, was a father of nine children who was deeply loved by his family and friends. On online memorial pages, those who knew him shared their grief and cherished memories, remembering a man who was a shining star in their lives. One friend, reflecting on the profound loss, wrote, "I'd do anything to talk to you one last time." His absence created a void for the many people who held him dear, leaving them to grapple with the sudden and violent end to his life.

On the evening of Friday, April 20, 2018, a call reporting a person down brought Richmond Police officers to the Aden Court & Glenway Green Apartments, a complex located in the 300 block of Melmark Court in the city’s Southside. The dispatch came in just after 6:15 p.m. When police arrived at the scene, they found Mr. Alexander suffering from what was described as an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Emergency medical personnel responded, but his injury was catastrophic. Mr. Alexander was pronounced dead at the scene, turning the apartment complex into the site of Richmond's 14th homicide of the year.

The Richmond Police Department’s Major Crimes division immediately launched an investigation. Detectives, including lead investigator J.P. Baynes, began the meticulous process of gathering evidence and speaking with potential witnesses at the apartment complex. The Office of the Medical Examiner later conducted an autopsy to formally determine the cause and manner of death. In the days that followed, the police department reached out to the public for help, urging anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it might seem, to come forward and contact Detective Baynes or to provide an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers.

For nearly five months, the investigation progressed away from the public eye as detectives worked to build a case. That work, which relied on forensic evidence and crucial information from the community, culminated in a major development in early September 2018. The Richmond Police Department announced that it had secured an indictment from a multi-jurisdictional grand jury, formally charging a suspect with the murder of Malcolm Alexander.

The suspect was identified as 28-year-old Aaron Johnson of the 4400 block of Angus Road. He was indicted on charges of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. At the time the indictment was announced, Johnson was already in police custody. Richmond Police Captain James Laino commented on the series of indictments secured for five recent homicides, including Alexander's, stating, “These indictments were the result of lots of hard work by the detectives who, in many cases, were helped by valuable eyewitness accounts or tips.”

The indictment of Aaron Johnson marked a significant turning point in the case, transitioning it from an unsolved homicide investigation to a matter for the criminal justice system. It offered the first step toward accountability for Malcolm Alexander’s killing and provided a measure of hope to his grieving family that justice would be pursued. Even with a suspect in custody, Captain Laino encouraged others to share what they knew, adding, “But, we’d still like to hear from anyone else who may be willing to help us by telling us what they saw or heard.”

Following the indictment, the case against Aaron Johnson entered the court system. This began the lengthy legal process of pre-trial motions, hearings, and preparations for a trial. As of the last available reports in September 2018, the prosecution was moving forward, carrying the responsibility of proving the charges against Johnson in a court of law. The case for the murder of Malcolm Alexander was no longer considered open by investigators but remained an active matter within the Virginia judicial system. Anyone with additional information about the crime is asked to call the Major Crimes Division at (804) 646-6741 or Crime Stoppers at 780-1000.