Houston cops arrest man, 38, accused of shooting friend dead and leaving his son, 2, to die in car

Houston police have identified a carjacker who shot his friend before stealing his car and then left his toddler inside to die in the sweltering heat.

Bolanle Fadairo, 38, has been charged with the September 20 murder of Michael Essien and his two-year-old son Micah in Houston, Texas.

Essien, 38, got into an argument with Fadairo before being shot dead in front of his young son while the gunman drove away in his victim’s SUV.

Micah was still in the back seat and was found hours later by officers who believe he died of complications from heat exhaustion – in outside temperatures of 93F.

Essien’s wife reported that her husband and son went missing around 6:40 p.m., hours after Fadairo shot him multiple times at 1:45 p.m. in El Camino Del Rey.

The father of three leaves behind his wife and two other children, including a little girl who was born just a week ago.

Officials discovered the stolen vehicle containing the toddler within five hours after his father was shot.

Police officers raided Fadairo’s home in the early hours of Wednesday morning and have now charged him with two counts of murder and evidence tampering.

An autopsy report on the toddler has yet to be completed, but investigators believe he died of heat stroke after being in the car since around 2 p.m.

Officers broke the SUV’s glass and attempted to rescue the child, but he was pronounced dead when an ambulance arrived.

Essien’s sister Jessie told ABC that her nephew had just learned how to say her name and described her brother as a “peaceful man.”

She said: “All I want is my brother and my 2-year-old who just learned how to say ‘Aunt Jessie’.

“He called Aunt Jessie at church on Sunday. He ran and said, “Hello, Aunt Jessie.”

“Michael has a 5 year old son and a 1 week old baby, 1 week old. Michael has a wife. Lord Jesus, all I need is my brother.

“Anyone who knows my brother knows that Michael is a peaceful man. Michael never argued with anyone.

“Michael pulls the shirt off his body and gives it to other people to wear. Michael would give every penny he had to other people.’

Investigators believe Fadairo met his victim at the agreed location, with the two arguing before shooting his friend multiple times.

Essien fled a short distance before collapsing in the parking lot as Fadairo stole his Chevrolet Traverse with Micha behind him and fled the scene.

Houston Police Department Deputy Chief Larry Satterwhite previously told reporters, “We never knew about the kid until she called.

“Unfortunately it was too late. The child had passed in the car.

“At this point we don’t know why or how or what the cause of death will be. It could be something like heat exhaustion, we just don’t know.

‘That will be determined later by autopsy. “It’s the hardest thing we do. Children are innocent.’

Surveillance footage of the Fadairo shows him walking calmly through a supermarket after the murder, wearing black shorts, a white T-shirt and an Oakland Raiders baseball cap.