In the Gulfton neighborhood of southwest Houston, a Nigerian man named Bolanle Fadairo is accused of two counts of murder and evidence tampering.
The 38-year-old Bolanle is suspected of shooting his friend Michael Essien several times before fleeing in his SUV and leaving the victim’s two-year-old kid to die from heat stroke in the back of the scorching vehicle.
On Tuesday, September 20, Essien, 38, and Fadairo got into a fight outside a strip mall in the 5500 block of El Camino Del Rey and Chimney Rock. After the dispute, Essien was shot dead in front of his young son, and the shooter fled in his victim’s SUV.
According to investigators, Fadairo acknowledged knowing Essien for almost 30 years and even used the victim’s address to receive mail.
Essien’s son Micah, 2, who was in the back seat when Fadairo stole the car, was found unresponsive five hours later after being left in the sweltering heat. Officers declared him dead at the scene as a result of heat exhaustion – with outside temperatures reaching 93F – according to the Daily Mail.
Before being apprehended, Fadairo allegedly deleted conversations between himself and Essien, despite police knowing the two had planned to meet.
In video obtained by ABC, Fadairo can be seen raising his hands before placing them on the hood of a police vehicle after being encircled by them. This happened just yards from the scene of the shooting at 4 a.m. on Wednesday.
Essien was shot multiple times by Fadairo at 1:45 pm in El Camino Del Rey, according to the report. At around 6.40 pm, his wife reported that her husband and son were missing.
The father of three leaves behind his wife, two additional kids, and a baby girl who was born just a week ago.
Essien’s sister, Jessie, described her brother as a “peaceful man” while telling ABC that her nephew had just learned how to say her name.
She said: ‘All I want is my brother and my 2-year-old who just learned how to say “Auntie Jessie.”
“He called Auntie Jessie in the church Sunday. He ran and said, ‘Hi, Auntie Jessie’.
“Michael has a 5-year-old son and a 1-week-old baby, 1-week old. Michael has a wife. Lord Jesus, all I need is my brother.
“Anybody that knows my brother knows Michael is a peaceful man. Michael never argued with anyone.
“Michael takes the shirt off his body and gives to other people to put on. Michael would give the last dime he has to other people.”
The two allegedly quarreled before Fadairo shot his pal many times, according to investigators, who said he met his victim at the prearranged spot.
Fadairo stole Essien’s Chevrolet Traverse, which was carrying Micha, and left the scene. Essien ran a short distance before collapsing in the parking lot.
A Houston Police Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite said, “We never knew about the child until she called. Sadly, it was too late. The child had passed in the car.
“At this time, we don’t know why or how or what the cause of death will be. It could be something like heat exhaustion, we just don’t know.
“That will be determined later through autopsy. ‘It’s the hardest thing we do. Children are innocent.”
Source: Sahara Reporters
