Do you know who killed Steven Lamont Whitney in 1997?
In the early morning hours of October 25, 1997, the sense of security in a Salisbury, Maryland apartment complex was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Responding to a call at approximately 1:30 a.m., Salisbury police officers arrived at the 1000 block of Fairground Drive to find a grim scene. There, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, was 38-year-old Steven Lamont Whitney, a Black male. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was ultimately pronounced dead. The investigation determined that a large-caliber handgun was used in the fatal shooting.
Witnesses at the scene provided investigators with a description of a man seen with a handgun just before the shots rang out. The suspect was described as a light-skinned Black male, possibly of partial Italian descent, standing between 5 feet 9 inches and 6 feet tall with a slim to medium build. At the time, he was believed to be between 25 and 30 years old and was wearing a tan toboggan with red stripes. This individual was reportedly known by the first name Alvino, or the nickname 'Al.' He was seen fleeing the area shortly after the shooting in an older model, dark-colored Oldsmobile Delta 88 with tinted windows and Washington D.C. license plates. Another vehicle, a dark-colored van or SUV, was also seen driving away from the scene with its headlights off.
Despite the witness accounts and a composite sketch of the suspect being released, the case has grown cold over the years. Investigators believe the man responsible for Steven Whitney's death frequented the Salisbury area but resided in or had strong connections to the Washington D.C. area. To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the homicide, and the case remains an unsolved tragedy. Authorities continue to ask for the public's help, hoping that with the passage of time, someone with information will come forward to bring closure to Whitney's family.
