It was a birthday celebration on January 2…but the birthday boy wasn’t there.

The family of Raphael Rogers-Davis gathered Thursday at Clemons Cemetery in Pattison to celebrate his thirty-third birthday, enjoying his favorite treats of turtle cookies and brownies. More than a dozen relatives and friends, decked out in commemorative sweatshirts imprinted with this photo, joined in singing “Happy Birthday” before a balloon release sent their personal messages skyward.

But his mother Sherrel Rogers and sister Chaya Calip need more comfort than the simple remembrance ceremony could offer. They need closure.

Rogers-Davis – a native of Brookshire who went to Royal High School and who later attended Mayde Creek High School in Katy – died sometime in early November following his release from the Harris County jail in Houston on November 12. His body was discovered on November 19 in Buffalo Bayou near the 600 block of N. York Street in Houston, with an apparent gunshot wound to the chest. His shoes were missing.

To date, police have not been able to identify a suspect or a motive in the killing, Sherrel Rogers told the Katy Times. She and the family are working with CrimeStoppers of Houston to try to gain information from the public about the incident.

“Somebody had to see something,” Rogers said.

CrimeStoppers is offering a reward of up to $5000.00 for information leading to the charging or arrest of suspect(s) in the case. Information may be reported by calling 713-222-TIPS (8477), by submitting information online at crime-stoppers.org or through the CrimeStoppers mobile app. Only tips and calls directly to CrimeStoppers are anonymous and eligible for the cash reward.

Rogers noted that her son was the first baby born in 1992 at Memorial Hermann in Katy, with a picture of the new family featured on the front page of the January 9 edition of the Katy Times.

Calip, older than her brother by eight years, wants him to be remembered as “a great kid” and a “gentle giant” who was a loving father to his eight-year-old son, Malachi. She said that he worked in Brookshire helping to bottle local vodka and had just recently gotten a car. “He was getting on his feet,” she said. “He was not a troublemaker.” He was an avid gamer who enjoyed playing Fortnite and other online games, she said.

Rogers-Davis spent his free time with family members, visiting his sister’s home for food and games on weekends and breaks when he had custody of Malachi. Calip wants to continue to be involved in her nephew’s life, hosting him at her home just as she did when his father was alive. “I want to be the auntie he deserves,” she said.

But the hole in their lives won’t be healed until they know what happened to their beloved son and brother. And they are praying that someone comes forward with the information about Raphael Rogers-Davis’ last hours that will identify his killer and bring justice to the grieving family.

Publisher’s note: Sherrel Rogers is a contributor to the Katy Times.