HPD looking for suspect who shot and killed 16-year-old at SE Houston bus stop

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- HPD detectives and Crime Stoppers are working to find out who is behind a January shooting at a bus stop that left a 16-year-old dead.

It happened near the intersection of Kilkenny and Cullen Boulevard in southeast Houston on Jan. 11.

Shawntae Wilson can't hide her grief. It's been with her ever since her son Stephen Verdell Jr. was shot.

Verdell rode the bus home from Victory Prep Academy every day, but that day was different.

Witnesses say he had some kind of disagreement with a girl at his school, and it spilled over into the ride home. When they got off the bus on Kilkenny, someone was waiting for Stephen and confronted him on that girl's behalf.

After a few words and some shoving, that man pulled out a gun and fired.

"I just want to look this guy in the face, then I can ask 'Why?'" Wilson said.

Stephen fought hard, but died several days after being taken to the hospital. Witnesses were able to describe the suspect to investigators and come up with a sketch.

"They did the sketch. I'm sorry, but that's still not enough for me. Somebody knows something," Wilson said.

"Old Man," as his family referred to Stephen, was a sophomore who loved football and dreamed of one day taking his mom to watch the Super Bowl. Crime Stoppers says it needs the community's help to solve this crime, because at 4:30 in the afternoon, someone saw what happened.

Wilson agrees.

She's relying on her faith to get her through this tough time and is asking the public to do the right thing.

"I need closure. My baby's gone. He can't tell me anything and I just feel like somebody out there knows something," Wilson said.

The beauty of Crimestoppers is that you can call in and remain anonymous. If your information leads to an arrest in this case, you can get up to $5,000.

The number to call is 713-222-TIPS.