Mayor Turner makes plea for information in boy's stabbing death

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- As Josue Flores' family prepares to bury the 11 year-old who was murdered on his way home from school last week, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and the police chief are asking for the public's help.

"If there's any person sitting in their home or in their apartment and you know something, and you still are not providing that information, shame on you," Turner said.

Flores' killer is still out there.

"There is a monster who is out among us. You may know who he is," said Devon Anderson, Harris County District Attorney.

Crime Stoppers of Houston has upped their reward to $15,000 to anyone with information leading to an arrest.

Che Calhoun was arrested Wednesday, the day after the murder. One of three witnesses picked Calhoun out of a police lineup.

Two days later, Calhoun was released and murder charges were dropped after his alibi checked out.

"An innocent person was arrested, but once the information became clear, then he was let go and so we apologize for putting him through that. But even so, apologies to the Flores family for putting them through that. Everyone thought we had the person, when we didn't," Turner said.

We asked Houston Police Chief Martha Montalvo if arresting the wrong person hampered the investigation.

"That doesn't mean the investigators stopped looking in terms of other suspects," Montalvo said.

At an unrelated court appearance on Monday, Calhoun said he wasn't mad about what happened.

"I'm just sorry to all the Hispanic community. I'm with you. I'm hurting with you," Calhoun said.

He wants to help police make sure the right person gets charged.

Police say they have leads but nothing solid. Detectives are waiting on DNA testing from the crime scene to be completed. Montalvo said the process has been sped up, but it's not clear how long it will be before results are in.

Meanwhile, more officers are patrolling the northside neighborhood near where Flores was killed.

"I don't want anyone to think that we are not giving it our full attention. We are and we're not going to stop until this person is found," Turner said.