The unsolved 2009 shooting death of a 21-year-old rising hip-hop artist and producer in Inglewood is the subject of Wednesday night's edition of "48 Hours Suspicion."
Kevin Robert Harris II was driving to a recording session at a music studio at the corner of 118th Place and Crenshaw Boulevard on Sept. 20, 2009. As soon as he arrived, another car pulled up next to him and approximately 10- 17 shots were fired into his car, according to FBI Special Agent Sean Sterle of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office.
Harris died in an ambulance on the way to a hospital, Sterle said.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the death of Harris, a graduate of St. Bernard High School in Playa Del Rey who recorded under the name Track Bully.
Inglewood is also offering a $25,000 reward.
"When investigating murders that have gone unsolved for more than five years, success usually comes down to two things -- one, changes in technology, and two, changes in relationships," Sterle told City News Service.
The FBI became involved in the case in 2015.
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"Kevin's case has had a little of both and whereas we had no suspects in 2015, we've now identified multiple suspects. We know there are people who have knowledge about the murder but we need someone to come forward with information to bring the case to the finish line."
A jealous rival, an aspiring rapper, might be connected with the murder, according to "48 Hours Suspicion," a true crime series from producers and correspondents from "48 Hours."
"We believe along with Kevin's parents, the FBI and local authorities that the more people that hear about this case, the better the chance someone, somewhere will turn up a clue,'' said Michelle Miller, the CBS News national correspondent and a co-host of "CBS This Morning: Saturday'' who is the correspondent for Wednesday's 10 p.m. broadcast.
Anyone with information concerning Harris' killing is asked to call the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office at 310-477-6565 or submit tips at tips.fbi.gov.
Shortly before his death, Harris sold a beat to Ice Cube and completed a song and music video that were about to become a local radio hit. His father told "48 Hours Suspicion" he heard Britney Spears and Rihanna were interested in some of his music.
CBS News bills "48 Hours Suspicion" as featuring intriguing cases where people live under suspicion but the truth is often elusive. It is part of the network's efforts to air first-run programming in the absence of new scripted programming because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Miller told City News Service what connected her to the story was that Harris "was a hard-working kid" who grew up in Westchester near where she did.
"Kevin was just like many kids I grew up with," Miller said. "Kevin was (a) young (man) who was doing it right. This was a story that I felt like I knew very well. It angered me that right just as Kevin was getting acclaim and attention someone killed him."
Harris' parents "were the key" to Miller doing the story, she said.
"They are extraordinary people," Miller said. "Katheryn and Kevin Sr. are devoted to keeping the memory of their son alive and the hunt for his attackers energized."
Crimes like Harris' killing "have often been pushed to (the) back burner by authorities and ignored by media," Miller said.
"We hope this story will draw attention to that situation and bring justice to the Harris family," she added.
