Alexa Retana was a 27-year-old woman from El Paso, Texas, who was a full-time mother, employee, and student. She was studying at both El Paso Community College and the University of Texas at El Paso, where she had recently been accepted into the nursing program. Those who knew her said she had a beautiful soul and a big heart, and she always made time for her family despite her busy schedule.
In the early morning hours of July 13, 2023, Alexa was at the Ditzy Duck bar on Airway Boulevard
with her longtime partner, James Nicholson Jr. An argument that began inside the bar spilled out into the parking lot. Shortly after midnight, two men pulled out handguns and began firing into the crowd of people. Alexa was struck by the gunfire and rushed to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries. James Nicholson, 26, was killed at the scene. Four other people were also wounded in the shooting, including a man named John Retana.
Investigators with the El Paso Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons unit quickly obtained surveillance footage from a nearby business that had captured the entire incident. The video showed an assault, which was followed by two men firing their weapons. A witness provided police with the license plate number for the suspects’ vehicle, a black Volkswagen Passat. A short time later, military police stopped the car as it attempted to enter the Constitution Gate at Fort Bliss.
The two occupants of the car, Fort Bliss soldiers Andrew James Williams, 20, and Aaron John, 22, were arrested. Both men were charged with capital murder and held in the El Paso County Jail, each on a $2.5 million bond.
The day before his murder trial was scheduled to begin, Andrew James Williams pleaded guilty to murder and attempted capital murder. During the court hearing, he listened to impact statements from the survivors of the shooting and the families of the victims he killed. A judge then sentenced Williams to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
As of May 2024, Williams is serving his sentence. The second man charged in the shooting, Aaron John, is awaiting his trial, which is scheduled for September.
