A Nigerian-American is expected to appear in court on Friday after being charged with two counts of murder and one count of tampering with evidence in connection with the death of 38-year-old Michael Essien and his two-year-old son.
Bolanle Fadairo, 38, from Houston was arrested on Wednesday. He has not yet entered pleas.
Essien was found in a convenience store parking lot around 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday. He had been shot multiple times.
“Investigators learned the victim met Fadairo at the location and the two spoke briefly before he then shot the victim,” states a Houston Police Department press release.
According to a probable cause statement, Fadairo and Essien argued before the shooting.
Fadairo then allegedly entered Essien’s black Chevrolet Traverse and fled the scene with the boy in a car seat in the third row of the SUV.
Police said a woman called around 6:35 p.m. to report “her husband and 2-year-old son missing.”
Officers found the SUV about 7:10 p.m.
“Officers broke the vehicle’s window and found the 2-year-old victim unresponsive inside,” police said.
The cause of death of the boy has yet to be determined.
Police suspect the boy died from heat exhaustion, according to the probable cause statement.
Fadairo allegedly gave police a statement “admitting he shot (Essien), states (Essien) owed him money, claims no knowledge of (boy) in rear seat. Admits deleting incriminating text messages off his cellphone between himself and (Essien),” according to the probable cause statement.
Family members are devastated by the loss of the father and son.
