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In 1992 I was a cab driver in Austin, Texas.
I had returned to Austin after working in Alaska for a year and a half and bought a cab.
I met a friend that also drove cab, his name was Alvin Bronson.
We got along pretty good and eventually after his roommate moved out... I moved in.
He was a Graduate student at the University of Texas and was just about finished with his degree.
He was one of the brightest people I had ever met.
We both enjoyed working the graveyard shift and often we would meet at Taco Cabana for breakfast.
Friday July 3rd was an especially busy night with the July 4th holiday right on it's back.
I ran into Alvin on 6th street at about midnight, we talked and agreed we'd meet at 4am at the Taco Cabana on South Lamar for breakfast.
I ran fares for about two more hours and ended up in my mothers neighborhood so I decided to stop by and see her.
I ended up falling asleep on her couch and woke up at about 6am.
I missed breakfast with my roommate and figured he'd be at home in bed.
I went ahead and started taking calls and running fares.
At about 8am the dispatcher contacted me and asked if I had seen Alvin.
I told her no... that he was probably at home asleep... and that I'd go home and check.
Before I got home... she contacted me again and told me to come directly up to the station.
They found Alvin behind Round Rock High School , he had been shot in the back of the head.
Over the next couple weeks an arrest was made and the story began coming out.
Alvin took a call at about 4:30am on the morning of July 4th.
He picked up two people at a South Austin Hotel and drove them to Round Rock... where they robbed him... and shot him in the back of the head.
The shooter turned out to be a 16 year old black kid... he later posed for photos at a party with the money and the gun he had used.
He was charged as an adult and his friend testified against him... he was sentenced to 30 years aggravated.
As far as I know... he is still in jail.
If I had not gone to my mothers house... and fallen asleep... I would have met him at 4am...
I had returned to Austin after working in Alaska for a year and a half and bought a cab.
I met a friend that also drove cab, his name was Alvin Bronson.
We got along pretty good and eventually after his roommate moved out... I moved in.
He was a Graduate student at the University of Texas and was just about finished with his degree.
He was one of the brightest people I had ever met.
We both enjoyed working the graveyard shift and often we would meet at Taco Cabana for breakfast.
Friday July 3rd was an especially busy night with the July 4th holiday right on it's back.
I ran into Alvin on 6th street at about midnight, we talked and agreed we'd meet at 4am at the Taco Cabana on South Lamar for breakfast.
I ran fares for about two more hours and ended up in my mothers neighborhood so I decided to stop by and see her.
I ended up falling asleep on her couch and woke up at about 6am.
I missed breakfast with my roommate and figured he'd be at home in bed.
I went ahead and started taking calls and running fares.
At about 8am the dispatcher contacted me and asked if I had seen Alvin.
I told her no... that he was probably at home asleep... and that I'd go home and check.
Before I got home... she contacted me again and told me to come directly up to the station.
They found Alvin behind Round Rock High School , he had been shot in the back of the head.
Over the next couple weeks an arrest was made and the story began coming out.
Alvin took a call at about 4:30am on the morning of July 4th.
He picked up two people at a South Austin Hotel and drove them to Round Rock... where they robbed him... and shot him in the back of the head.
The shooter turned out to be a 16 year old black kid... he later posed for photos at a party with the money and the gun he had used.
He was charged as an adult and his friend testified against him... he was sentenced to 30 years aggravated.
As far as I know... he is still in jail.
If I had not gone to my mothers house... and fallen asleep... I would have met him at 4am...
we
would have eaten together and talked... he would have never taken that call.
Online copy of an appeal made by Alvin's murderer, click here!