Baytown police link 16-year-old Shane Hamilton's January murder to death of 55-year-old man

BAYTOWN, Texas (KTRK) -- Authorities in Baytown have linked the murder of a 16-year-old Goose Creek CISD student to the death of a 55-year-old man months after the teen's killing.

The video above is from a previous report.

Robert E. Lee High School star athlete Shane Hamilton was murdered on Jan. 10 of this year when someone fired shots in front of his home at the Park at Sorrento Apartments in the 3400 block of Shady Hill Drive.

First responders tried performing life-saving measures on Hamilton, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Wednesday, the Baytown Police Department said Hamilton's death was linked to a separate homicide, though it did not release additional information on the case.

RELATED: Baytown, district officials address recent homicide rate after 16-year-old Shane Hamilton's murder

Hamilton was a basketball and football player at his school and had just celebrated his 16th birthday.

"They took my baby. That's who they took," Hamilton's mom, who asked to remain anonymous, told ABC13 in January. "He definitely wanted to go pro. That's all he talked about was sports. It was his passion. He made sure to put on a show every single time he played a game."

Hamilton's mother said he was at another school's game when he ran into "enemies." She believes they followed him back home and shot him as he walked from his friend's apartment, who lives in the same complex.

ABC13 crews at the scene saw at least 10 bullet holes that spanned across several apartments. Windows, doors, and walls were all struck by the gunfire.

On Jan. 18, Baytown police released surveillance images showing a dark-colored Chevrolet Silverado Truck, entering and leaving the apartment complex around the time of the murder.

READ MORE: Baytown police release photos of person of interest, vehicle in connection to 16-year-old's death

Along with the surveillance photos, officials also identified 19-year-old Kayleb Garfield as a person of interest in the investigation.

Garfield was taken into custody a day later and booked into the Harris County Jail on an unrelated unlawful carry of a weapon count. Records show he posted a $100 bond and was not charged in Hamilton's death.

Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the Baytown Police Department at (281) 422-8371 or Baytown Crime Stoppers at 281-427-TIPS (8477).

SEE ALSO: Student arrested for making violent threat against Lee HS days after student-athlete was murdered