POLICE Department

3rd Update: Second Suspect Charged in 2020 Fatal Shooting at 2525 Old Farm Road

April 22, 2021 - Charges have been filed against a second suspect in the fatal shooting of a juvenile male and a man at 2525 Old Farm Road that occurred about 4:25 p.m. on October 26, 2020.  

One suspect, Dewayne Batiste (b/m, 39), is charged with capital murder in the 228th State District Court.  The other suspect, Desmond Hawkins (b/m, 21), is charged with one count of capital murder and one count of murder in the 339th State District Court.  Booking photos of Batiste and Hawkins are attached to this news release.

One victim, Menuelle Solomon, 41, was pronounced deceased at the scene.  A second victim, Dominic Sumicek, 11, was transported to an area hospital where doctors pronounced him deceased on October 28.  

HPD Homicide Division Detectives C. Lamont and L. Lange reported:

HPD patrol officers responded to a shooting call at an apartment complex parking lot at the above address and found the two victims suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.  Houston Fire Department paramedics declared Mr. Solomon deceased and transported Mr. Sumicek to the hospital in critical condition.  

A preliminary investigation indicated the suspects, described only as three black males, entered the apartment complex on foot, approached the victims and then shot at them multiple times.  The suspects ran to a nearby black Pontiac sedan and fled in an unknown direction.

Hawkins was identified as one of the suspects in this case, and, on December 16, 2020, he was charged for his role in the shooting.  Hawkins was already in custody at the Harris County Jail on an unrelated charge.  

Additional investigation identified Batiste as a suspect in this case and, on Wednesday (April 21), he was charged for his role in the incident.  Batiste was arrested in November 2020 and charged with felon in possession of a weapon.  His parole was revoked and he remained in the Harris County Jail. 

During the investigation, it was determined Batiste attempted to shoot Solomon on October 20, 2020.  Batiste returned on October 26, along with Hawkins, and shot Solomon and Sumicek.

Dewayne Batiste
Dewayne Batiste

Desmond Hawkins
Desmond Hawkins

Update: #3 VHS/JFC 4-22-21
Update #2: JKS/VHS 12-17-20
Update: JFC/KJS 10-30-20
JKS/KJS 10-27-20
Inc. #142351120

For additional information, please contact the HPD Community Affairs Division at 713-308-3200.