In the afternoon of November 18, 2016, just three days shy of his 30th birthday, Luis Martin Alicea, a 29-year-old Hispanic male, was fatally shot outside a barber shop at the corner of North 6th Street and Rising Sun Avenue in Philadelphia. A talented baseball player in his youth at Frankford High School, he had since become a music producer and was a devoted father of five.
His life was deeply rooted in his family, a value instilled by his large extended family.
On that fateful day, Alicea had just gotten a haircut when a suspect, described as a thin male with a dark complexion, approached and opened fire. The assailant fired multiple shots, striking Alicea. Another man, a 25-year-old, was also wounded in the attack. The gunman then fled the scene, escaping in a waiting Chevy Impala. Alicea was rushed to Temple University Hospital by a private vehicle, but he succumbed to his injuries that same afternoon.
In the years following the shooting, no arrests have been made, and the case remains unsolved. Luis's mother, Elsa Alicea, has remained a steadfast advocate for justice for her son. Her daily ritual of visiting his grave at Greenmount Cemetery with a thermos of coffee, a tradition they once shared every morning, has been a testament to her enduring grief and her unwavering hope that his killer will one day be brought to justice. The family, along with the Philadelphia Police Department, continues to seek information from the public, with a reward offered for any tips leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for his death.
