Alexandria police are continuing to investigate the city’s lone unsolved homicide from 2006, having made arrests in four other killings that took place this year.
This year’s five homicides outpace the city’s annual average of four, Alexandria police spokeswoman Amy Bertsch said. Police investigations into four of the five killings have been closed by police and sent on to prosecutors, she said.
The only open case is the murder of Bethlehem “Betty” Ayele, who was shot and killed Oct. 25 while stopped at a traffic light in the city’s Del Ray neighborhood. Police believe Ayele was targeted.
An Examiner investigation into the victim’s background found Ayele had a long history of connection with drugs and drug dealers, and might have been dealing drugs herself. In 2000, Ayele was arrested in Maryland with $19,000 and 9 kilograms of cocaine and charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine, according to court records. She was convicted in 2004 and given probation.
In 2004, she testified against six members of the District gang known as Murder Inc. The gang believed by police to be responsible for 31 killings between 1988 and 1999.
There are also rumors circulating that the Ohio Restaurant, which was owned by Ayele, was a center for drug activity. The restaurant is located at 14th and H streets Northeast in the District.
An acquaintance of Ayele, who wished to remain anonymous because of fear of retribution from Ayele’s killer, told The Examiner that he was questioned by police about recent drug dealing by Ayele. He said Ayele had been selling drugs to pay for increasing costs at the restaurant.
Bertsch said police are still trying to determine why Ayele was killed.
“The Ayele case is still open,” she said. “It’s still an active investigation.”
