HOUSTON – Crime Stoppers and the Houston Police Department's Homicide Division is asking the public’s help finding the gunman who shot and killed Melvin Moore, an armored car driver.
Armored-car driver killed at ATM in north Houston
A gunman is charged with capital murder and officials have increased the reward to $15,000 for information that leads to the killer's arrest.
Moore, 32, was shot on March 18 outside the Chase Bank in the 5200 block of Airline Drive in northeast Houston. He worked for an armored car company and was servicing a drive up ATM at the time he was shot. Investigators said robbers drove up in a black sedan, a passenger got out of the back seat of the car and started shooting at Moore.
Moore left behind a wife and four children under the age of 8.
"The 4 year old, she comes to me 'granny my daddy's gone he died,' but somebody killed him. When a child comes to you like that it touch your heart," said Patricia Ann Moore, Melvin's mother. "There's a man set high and he looks low and trust me he seen ya' and he know who you are."
Houston police spokesperson Jodi Silva said, “There was an exchange of gunfire. [Moore] was struck. More than one time. He was transported to Ben Taub General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.”
Investigators said the shooter got back into his car, and then the four suspects got away.
"Somebody shot him in hopes of getting money they were bringing to the ATM," Wendell Gillbert, with HPD Homicide said. "We believe he was able to return fire, striking one of the suspects in upper arm."
Surveillance cameras captured one of the vehicles involved in the crime, a black 2014 to 2016 Nissan Sentra or Altima, police say. Police say the other vehicle involved was a Nissan Quest.
Maria Saavedra said she was driving by the bank when she saw the man fighting for his life in the bank parking lot. She said she did what she could.
"She says she was coming around here when she got behind that basket and the two Chase employees came out and she did first aid blowing air into the gentleman that was collapsed on the floor with gunshots to the abdominal," Saavedra said with the help of a translator.
Houston police roped off the parking lot with crime scene tape while the ATM remained open as it was at the time of the shooting. Yellow evidence markers were scattered around the parking lot.
When a worker at an insurance office across the street heard the shots, he locked the doors and watched police rush to the scene. Jonathan Limon said, "I'm hoping they catch the guy that did it honestly. Cause hearing stories that have been going around, especially businesses, you never know what's going to happen to you."
"He had a smile that could light up this room," said Regina Poullard, Melvin's sister. "Now that Melvin's not here, we're missing a part of ourselves."
The family hoping his story touches other's hearts and that someone will come forward. Maybe the suspects will turn themselves in.
Anyone with information about the shooting can contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS or by texting TIP610 plus a message to 274637. All tipsters may remain annonymous.