KTVU FOX 2 Unsolved: Aspiring rapper killed in Berkeley

BERKELEY, Calif. - It's been almost five years since aspiring rapper Alex Goodwin, 22, was shot and killed outside his grandmother's home in Berkeley.

For Patterson, not a day goes by that she doesn't miss her grandson.

"He was my right hand. Anything he could do for his grandmother, he would do," Patterson said. "We’re still healing from this because it was just like nonsense, like a bad dream."

For the family, it was a nightmare that started on Mabel Street near San Pablo Park on Aug. 18, 2016. Someone rang the door just before midnight. Goodwin didn’t recognize who it was and went out the back door to get a better look.

"I just heard the the three gunshots," said Aneka Patterson, Goodwin's sister. She waited for police to arrive and then saw her brother on the ground.

A life, taken too soon.

Goodwin, known as "Aye–Gee" after his initials, was an aspiring rapper, a proud product of Berkeley schools.

His mother Kameka Goodwin says she doesn’t want people to make assumptions about him. She says he’s not just another number.

"A gang banger who lived by the gun, died by the gun. And that was not Alex. That was not what he was about. He was a college kid," Goodwin said.

Just four days before he died, her son posted this chilling tweet:

"When I die, turnup for me. On mabel in front of grams house like I would want you to lol."

His family says that tweet wasn’t a premonition, just him musing about life and death in general.

A mural in his honor is still painted on the wall of his grandmother’s house.

Police have said Goodwin was targeted, but with no hard evidence, the case has gone cold.

"Our investigators are following up on any leads get, but we haven’t had any luck thus far," said Officer Byron White, Berkeley police spokesman.

Police say they need the public’s help to move forward.

"We haven’t pieced together all the details of what happened, and we’re hoping that someone, somewhere saw what happened and will come forward," White said.

"You did the crime, you’ve been out living your life but you know our family deserves justice," Aneka Patterson said.

Goodwin’s family is desperate for answers. They hope a $50,000 reward for tips will revive the investigation and lead to an arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call the Berkeley police homicide detail at (510) 981-5741 or the department's 24-hour non-emergency number at (510) 981-5900.