An 18-year-old Houston man is facing federal carjacking and firearms charges after a fatal shooting in the Heights area, according to a March 10 announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The case centers on the death of a woman who was shot and killed during an alleged carjacking on March 6. The incident has drawn attention to violent crime in the community and highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to prosecute such offenses.
According to the federal criminal complaint, Darius Dewayne Hall allegedly shot the victim after she parked her vehicle—a 2019 Toyota Highlander—on a street in the Heights area following a visit to MD Anderson Cancer Center. Witnesses reportedly heard a scream and a loud popping sound before seeing Hall go through the victim’s purse and drive away in her vehicle. The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and was pronounced dead at Memorial Hermann Hospital shortly after midnight.
Law enforcement located the stolen vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but it fled, resulting in a crash. Hall then allegedly tried to escape on foot, discarding clothing as he ran before being taken into custody. He is currently held on related state charges and is expected to appear soon in federal court. If convicted of carjacking, Hall faces up to life imprisonment or possibly death; for the firearms offense, he faces at least ten years up to life, with both convictions carrying potential fines of up to $250,000.
The FBI-Houston Field Office led the investigation with help from Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black is prosecuting the case. Authorities remind that "a criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence," and that "a defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law."
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas has included notable figures such as Alamdar Hamdani and Ryan Patrick among its former leaders according to the official history page. The office operates locations in Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville as described on its official website. It serves under the U.S. Department of Justice and reports directly to the Attorney General according to its official website. Employing more than 200 attorneys across 43 counties with over nine million residents as detailed on its official website, it focuses on prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases for the government according to its official website. Alamdar Hamdani served as U.S. Attorney from 2022 until 2025 as noted on its official history page.
The broader implications of this case reflect ongoing efforts by federal authorities in Texas to address violent crime through prosecution under federal statutes.
