Troy McWhorter
Oklahoma Family Learns Of Arrest Made In Houston Woman's Murder
Sept 6 2012
OKLAHOMA CITY -
[...]
Alexander, a mother of six, disappeared July 21, 2004. Her body was found a few hours later. She'd been strangled.

Alexander's sister, Della Campbell, lives in Oklahoma. Campbell said Alexander had a difficult life.

"She was so young, she still had time to get her life together, it was taken away from her," Campbell said.

Alexander was honorably discharged from the army. But detectives said her life became difficult when she married a man and moved from Oklahoma City to Houston. After she separated from her husband, investigators said Alexander became addicted to crack cocaine and turned to prostitution.

That's how they believe she ran into Troy McWhorter, who is now charged with her murder.

McWhorter had not been among the original suspects in the initial investigation of Alexander's murder.

But this year, Texas prison officials retrieved a routine DNA sample from McWhorter after he violated probation and was locked up in a theft case. A DNA database matched his genetic material with the DNA found on Alexander's body.

"It sat there from 2004 to 2012 and all of a sudden Mr. McWhorter's swab DNA sample was uploaded to the same data base. Boom, an instant computer hit," Sgt. Bobby Minchew with the Harris County Sheriff's Office said.

McWhorter, who was scheduled to be released from prison next month, now faces capital murder charges. If he convicted, he could face the death penalty.
http://www.news9.com/story/19474370/...-womans-murder
Shonda Alexander
OKC Family Reacts To Break In Houston Murder Cold Case
Sept 7 2012
OKLAHOMA CITY -
An Oklahoma City family is closer to justice today after investigators say they have solved a cold case in Texas.
Shonda Alexander was murdered back in 2004. Now investigators say they have the man who killed her.
[.....]
Thirty-six year old Alexander was an army vet and mother of six children.

"I have two kids that she never got to meet and she never got to go to my wedding," said Alexander's daughter Jessica Battle.
Investigators say Alexander followed the wrong guy to Houston and when they separated she got involved in drugs and prostitution.
She was found dead in Harris County Texas on July 21, 2004.
She wasn't hurting nobody but herself and for somebody to take her life, they had no right to take her life," said Alexander's sister.
Investigators say Troy McWhorter lived on the street where Alexander and other prostitutes frequented but he was never a suspect in her murder and never had a violent history.
[...]
It sat there from 2004 to 2012 and all of a sudden Mr. McWhorther's swab sample was uploaded to the same data base, boom an instant computer hit," Sgt. Bobby Minchew with the Harris County Sheriff's Office said.

"I thank God they found him," said Janet Reese, Alexander's mother. "Never gave up hope."
[....]
"I just hope he gets what he deserves," said Battle
[...]
http://www.news9.com/story/19477757/...rder-cold-case