Suspects Arrested in Two Fatal Shootings

October 16, 2010 - Charges are pending against two suspects arrested in the fatal shootings of two cab drivers, one found at 5400 Wheatley about 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday (Oct. 12) and the other at 12100 Overbrook about 4:15 a.m. on Thursday (Oct. 14).

The suspects, Chaz Blackshear (b/m, DOB: 8-19-89) and Danielle Hudson (b/f, DOB: 12-15-88), each face charges of two counts of capital murder. They are accused in the killings of Mohammed Nabil Elsayed, 32, of Houston, and Blaize Uzoma Nwokenaka, 50, of Bellaire. Both victims, independent contract employees for Yellow Cab, suffered multiple gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead at the scene.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeants B. Harris, R. Chandler, R. Torres and Senior Police Officers M. Waters, R. Chappell, J. Johnston and Officer J. French reported:

An HPD officer on routine patrol noticed a Yellow Cab with light smoke emitting from it in a parking lot in the 12100 block of Overbrook about 4:15 a.m. on Thursday. The officer drove up and noticed an unresponsive male (Mr. Nwokenaka) in the driver’s seat. Paramedics were called and pronounced Nwokenaka deceased.

In the other incident, Mr. Elsayed was found lying in a drainage ditch in the 5400 block of Wheatley on Tuesday afternoon. Soon after, the Yellow Cab he was driving was found abandoned in the 12100 block of Overbrook. Further investigation determined Elsayed was fatally shot while on duty sometime between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. earlier that day (Tuesday).

Investigators determined the shootings were related and robbery was the motive in each incident.

Further investigation led to the identities of Blackshear and Hudson as suspects in both incidents. Late Friday evening (Oct. 15), HPD homicide investigators and officers with the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force arrested both suspects without incident. Blackshear and Hudson confessed to their roles in the murders and evidence was recovered verifying their involvement in the incidents.

Update: JFC 10-16-10
JFC/BJH 10-14-10
Inc #s 145085910, 145812510