05:25 PM CDT on Friday, May 26, 2006

By Wendell Edwards / 11 News

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He had big plans this holiday weekend. But tragically the only plans being made now are for Brady Davis’ funeral.

KHOU-TV

Brady Davis

Shortly after 6 a.m. Friday, someone shot the retired educator in the 11300 block of Homestead.

The deadly crime has taken away a friendly face and left a community is in mourning.

It was not supposed to end so violently, but somehow a routine trip to the car wash turned deadly.

“He was just getting ready to enjoy life after working so hard for so many years,” said Willie Davis, victim’s sister.

It was at a northeast Houston car wash that a male suspect shot and killed 61-year-old Brady Davis, a retired North Forest educator.

And now police are searching for his killer.

“I certainly hope they find him because he didn’t deserve this,” Willie Davis said.  “He did not deserve this.”

Police said the victim was cleaning his barbecue grill when the suspect approached him.

It’s not clear what exactly happened, but police said in the end Davis was shot at least once.

Investigators believe the motive was robbery and are asking this community for help.

“Homestead is a very, heavily traveled road for people going to work,” said Alan Brown, Houston Police Department Homicide.  “If you saw a black male running across the street, we want to know what direction he ran.”

Just 15 minutes prior to the shooting, police believe the same suspect tried to rob a woman just a block away.

“He didn’t get anything in that robbery,” said Brown.  “He tried to rob a woman who didn’t have anything.”

But his encounter with Davis proved fatal.

The man’s family will remember him not just as brother, husband and father, but as a friend.

“If he didn’t hear from me he was going to come by the house to see where I’m at or what’s what.  I just don’t know,” said Herman Davis, victim’s brother.

A life was taken too soon and a family was left wondering why.

“If you passed this particular car wash this morning and you saw the complainant, who is an older gentleman, he was wearing rubber boots, very distinctive in blue jeans about to wash his trailer.  And you happened to look and you saw somebody standing up there.  And even if it looked as if they were having a conversation, most likely that’s going to be our suspect,” said Brown.

Davis worked for the North Forest Independent School District for about 25 years.  He had been working as a caterer since he retired about four years ago.

He had a job planned for a high school graduation Saturday night.

The suspect was described as being about 6 foot 4 and was wearing a sweater that zipped up in the front, which authorities said was very unusual for this time of year.

Investigators believe that because the suspect was on foot he might live or still be in the area.

Davis was scheduled to cater a graduation party Saturday night.

He was known through out the community for his barbecue.

As for the suspect, we've learned he may have hopped into a car right after the shooting. Police are looking for two additional suspects.