Baytown Police Investigate Cold Case Homicide of Fort Lauderdale Resident

The Baytown Police Department is investigating the cold case homicide of Melvin McAfee, a 41-year-old resident of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Melvin, originally from Chicago, Illinois, was found deceased in Baytown. Through a partnership initiated in 2021 with the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, Othram, and the FBI’s Investigative Genetic Genealogy Unit, the victim was identified as Melvin McAfee in June of this year.

On April 19, 1992, at approximately 6:00 p.m., Baytown Police responded to a call regarding a deceased person in the 700 block of Tri City Beach, Baytown, Texas. Officers discovered an unidentified male lying face down in a concrete drainage ditch south of the Southern Pacific Railroad on Tri City Beach Rd. The body was covered with sheets and blankets.

An autopsy conducted by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences on April 19, 1992, determined the death of the unknown black male to be a homicide. The body was exhumed on August 11, 2021, and transferred for further analysis. Genetic testing confirmed the victim’s identity as Melvin McAfee on June 14, 2024.

Chief of Police John Stringer stated, “The Baytown Police Department is dedicated to pursuing justice for victims and their families. We are thankful to our partners at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences and the FBI’s Investigative Genetic Genealogy Unit for providing their expertise, which helped identify this victim. While it has been 32 years, this investigation is not over. Our detectives need the assistance of anyone with information on this case to come forward.”

Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact Baytown Crime Stoppers. Tips can be submitted anonymously by calling the Baytown Police Department at (281) 422-8371 or Baytown Crime Stoppers at (281) 427-TIPS (8477). Information can also be submitted online at P3 Tips or through the P3 Tips app available on the Apple Store or Google Play.