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Unsolved Files: Andre Fuqua

A late night drive along I-37 last year turned deadly for one young man. He ended up being shot, and a year later, his murder has yet to be solved.

A late night drive along I-37 last year turned deadly for one young man. He ended up being shot, and a year later, his murder has yet to be solved.

MORE: Unsolved Files: Homicides in the Coastal Bend

On the night of Jan. 22, 2017, first responders arrived on the scene of an accident to find a vehicle flipped along the side of I-37 near Violet Road. The driver, 25-year-old Andre Fuqua, was badly injured, and a closer look at the vehicle revealed the crash was the result of something much more sinister.

Bullet holes riddled the side door.

Police said Fuqua had been shot several times. The young man was rushed to the hospital where he died and the case quickly turned into a murder investigation.

"I saw it on social media first. I couldn't believe it. I was speechless," said Fuqua's friend Adam Lopez. "We were all shocked."

Fuqua was an avid runner. He graduated from Flour Bluff High School and went on to attend Texas A&M University-Kingsville. His passion for running led him to compete in many races, including Beach to Bay. In fact, Fuqua had just gotten back from a competitive run near Houston when he was killed.

"He came into work to see me before he took off for his last race. I wished him luck. On a group chat together, I told him congrats. I know he had a tough race. It was the last we heard from him," said Adrian Marquez, a friend and fellow coach with Fleet Feet. "We had a group of people we ran with. He was a part of a community. Everyone knew him. He was easy to get along with. A genuine nice guy."

That is why it is hard for Marquez to understand why someone would have wanted to target his friend.

To date, there has been very little information discovered regarding a motive or who is responsible for Fuqua's death.

During a press conference with media in February of 2017, Andre's father Greg Fuqua spoke out.

"There are no words that can express our pain," Greg said.

Andre's heartbroken parents stepped forward one month following his death to ask for the public's help to find his killer.

"We are pleading to the public for any information in resolving the death of our son," Greg said.

Police said Fuqua took a different route coming home this time, driving through Victoria. Detectives said he was playing a video game called Ingress. The game is said to be similar to Pokemon Go, where players are divided into two teams who compete against each other.

Police said even though there is no concrete evidence, that game is known to attract aggressive players and police have said it could have been a factor in what happened that night.

"I think that is always the tragic part, not knowing exactly how it happened, not knowing who did this," Marquez said.

More than a year after the tragic crime, Fuqua's friends continue to reach out and encourage anyone with information to step forward.

"Put yourself in our shoes, or anyone else's shoes who lost someone they loved. Do the right thing," Marquez said. "Obviously it impacted a lot of people. Even if one small thing makes a difference, it helps out a lot."

"We want justice, not just for Andre, but especially for his parents. He's an only child," Lopez said. "We want closure to this chapter in their lives."

Detectives said any tip could potentially help solve this crime. If you have any information that might help, call police at 361-886-2600.

If you have an unsolved file you would like us to look into, contact reporter Bill Churchwell at bchurchwell@kiiitv.com.

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