APD still looking for leads in unsolved East Austin murder

Police searching for Davante Reece's killer

Davante Reece was only 18-years-old when he was murdered in east Austin in May. Police are asking for the public's help to find leads that may lead to his killer.

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin police are searching for leads in a homicide case that's been unsolved for six months.

Police say on May 9, around 11:30 p.m., they got several 911 calls about gunshots in the area of Manor Road and Rogge Lane in East Austin. They couldn't find any victims there, but another call came in saying someone was shot a few blocks away on Breeze Way.

That's where they found 18-year-old Davante Reece.

"A person that transported was scared just trying to get out of that immediate area," Det. James Eichenholz with Austin police said.

Investigators say Reece was shot in an apartment complex parking lot on Manor Road. There was a group of about 10-15 people there. Police say most of those people have been identified, and there are people of interest, but no arrests have been made. It's not clear if the suspect was in that group or ran off.

"That's one of the outstanding questions we have, what led to it?" Eichenholz said.

Davante's mother, Dorita Reece, pleads for answers as she wears the cap her son had on when he was shot.

"I need you all to put yourself in my shoes. It's not a good feeling. I ache, I hurt. I can't sleep. Please help to find my baby's killer. I'm tired," she said.

She says people spoke well of her son.

"Everyone I've talked to on the streets, they give him good compliments. That's why I don't understand, why was his life taken if they felt like that about him on the streets, you know, because he's really not a troubled person. He was only 18-years-old. He hadn't even seen life yet. I just feel like that, jealousy, I think that was the main thing of it. He always dressed nice, he had a little old job. He kept money in his pocket, you know. In that area, don't too many work. I'm going to call them haters, and I am really hurt," she said.

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Davante Reece (Austin Police Department)

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She says she just wants anyone with information to speak up.

"I don't understand how the person that shot him could sleep. I wouldn't even want his mother to feel the pain that I feel this morning because the pain hadn't eased up at all," she said. "I just don't understand why they want to shoot up each other. I'm not understanding it. Who would even have a heart to kill somebody? I guarantee you he up there with his wings on, and he in a better place than the guy who shot him could ever be. I hurt, my body hurts, I'm tired. Y'all, please come forward. Come forward and help me," she said.

"Please come and provide some comfort for this family by sharing those things that you know," family minister Rodney Foster said.

Anyone with any information should contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-TIPS. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest.

East Austin Crime and Public Safety