It was 13 years ago to the day that 38-year-old Steven Lamont Whitney was gunned down in apartment complex in Salisbury, Md.
His killing remains unsolved, and police say they believe the gunman is from the Washington area. They are asking the public for information to help solve this case.
“We never give up hope,” said Salisbury Detective Sgt. Rich Kaiser. “Potentially, a witness can come forward who has seen this person and put a name to the face and help identify him.”
The killing happened around 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 25, 1997. Salisbury police responded to a report of shots fired at an apartment complex on the 1000 block of Fairground Drive, and found Whitney suffering from multiple gunshots. He was taken to an area hospital and pronounced dead.
The investigation revealed that Whitney had been shot with a large-caliber handgun. A witness told detectives that a man was spotted with a handgun just before the shooting and was seen leaving the area in a dark-colored, possibly brown or gray, older-model Oldsmobile Delta 88, with tinted windows and displaying D.C. tags. Kaiser said police were also looking for a dark-colored van or SUV that drove away from the scene with the headlights turned off.
Witnesses told police that the gunman was a light-skinned black male, possibly half Italian, first name of Alvino, also known as “Al,” about 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, slim-to-medium build, and about 25 to 30 years old at the time of the shooting.
The investigation revealed that the gunman had visited the Salisbury area frequently but lived or had contacts in the Washington area.
“We’re pretty sure this is the person we’re looking for,” Kaiser said. “We’re hoping that as time has gone by, someone who knows something may be less afraid to come forward.”
Delaware State Police assisted with the investigation and provided a composite drawing of the suspect.
Anyone with any information about this crime is asked to contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3113 or Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776.
