In Houston, Texas, a significant breakthrough has been made in a nearly 50-year-old cold case involving the shooting death of Louis Jean Batiste during a dice game in the Third Ward. After decades of remaining unsolved, the killer has finally been identified, but now the authorities are seeking the assistance of the public in locating Batiste’s family.
The Houston Police Department (HPD), in collaboration with Courtney Fischer, the creator of the Unsolved series on Eyewitness News, which is also available for streaming on Hulu, has reopened the case file, which had become nearly illegible due to years of storage. Batiste’s murder is one of numerous unsolved cases from the 1970s, particularly targeting Black men, that are being reinvestigated by HPD following the receipt of a grant in 2021 known as the Emmett Till Grant.
Although the physical evidence, including crime scene photographs, has been lost over time, the narrative of the events leading to Batiste’s death on May 29, 1976, has been pieced together. It is reported that Batiste was engaged in a dice game with a group of around 20 individuals in the neighborhood, including a man named Booker Ballenger. Tensions escalated when a firearm was introduced, purportedly in Batiste’s possession, leading to a confrontation with Ballenger and ultimately resulting in Batiste’s fatal shooting.
Despite initial attempts to bring charges against Ballenger, the district attorney’s office at the time deemed the evidence insufficient. However, with renewed focus and resources, HPD has revisited the case and is now charging Ballenger with murder, almost five decades after the incident. Although Ballenger is deceased and cannot stand trial, the case remains open, and HPD is committed to informing Batiste’s relatives about the developments, no matter how distantly related they may be.
Batiste’s case is just one of 48 currently under investigation using funds from the Emmett Till grant. HPD continues its efforts to review and potentially reopen cases from the 1970s, aiming to provide closure and justice to victims and their families.
Anyone who believes they may be a relative of Louis Jean Batiste is urged to contact the Houston Police cold case unit at 713-308-3618.
