Family Says Man Was Lured to Houston by 'Catfish' He Met Online Before Being Robbed, Killed
Crime Stoppers Deonte Hicks
In early May, Deonte Hicks drove to Houston from Dallas for a weekend away with a woman he met online -- or so he thought.
The 27-year-old father was actually a victim of catfishing -- when a person pretends to be someone else on social media, often with bad intentions -- police told his family, local station ABC 13 reports.
At 4:20 a.m. on May 10, Hicks was shot and killed while he was standing outside of his car in the 1000 block of Centre Parkway, according to Crime Stoppers and the Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division.
His family says he was lured there and then robbed, CBSDFW reports.
Hicks was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Two unknown Black male suspects were seen fleeing on foot “in an unknown direction of travel,” the Crime Stoppers release says.
No arrests have been made.
On Friday, Hicks’s family traveled to Houston to pass out fliers to try to drum up new leads for detectives.
The father of a 4-year-old daughter, Hicks was a “very, very loving father,” his aunt, Tamara Peterson, told reporters, ABC13 reports. “Kind person."
His mother, Aleshia King, was too upset to speak.
But Peterson said the family doesn’t think police are doing enough to find Hicks’ killer or killers.
“It has not been a top priority,” she said. “My family and I, we've gone to Houston headquarters to talk to detectives. I've called a million times. Nothing has been done. I've been passed off to the next person. I've been given the runaround. Nothing done."
Activist Quanell X accompanied the family to Houston, saying he hoped police would solve the case.
“We have to mobilize,” he said, CBSDFW reports. We have to get busy. We have to raise our voices.”
He said investigators told the family that Hicks had come to Houston after meeting a woman in an online chat room, ABC 13 reports.
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He drove to Houston to spend the weekend with her, he said, ABC 13 reports.
Crime Stoppers may pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, charging and/or arrest of the suspects in this case.
Information may be reported by calling 713-222-TIPS (8477), submitted online at www.crimestoppers.org or through the Crime Stoppers mobile app. Only tips and calls DIRECTLY TO Crime Stoppers are anonymous and eligible for a cash reward.
