Murder victim's family channels grief into community service

ATLANTA - It’s been five months since a Georgia State business student was gunned down. Derek Alexander was murdered last April at an apartment complex on Martin Luther King Jr Drive. One man is behind bars. Police are looking for two others.

Now, the victim’s family is turning their pain into community service. Deidra Alexander says her family is honoring her brother’s memory by raising money for youth soccer teams.

Derek Alexander was shot and killed as he sat in his car at the Creekside at Adamsville community in southwest Atlanta.

"When I get engaged and when I get married and all those things, that’s stuff that I thought my brother would be here for," said Deidra Alexander.

Derek was four years younger than Deidra. She and her younger brother were bound together by their love of soccer. "Derek ended up going and playing in Europe his senior year of high school," Deidra said.

Police last week arrested Quataven Williams. They’re looking for two men. 

Alexander, who’s also a local prosecutor, posts regularly on social media to raise awareness of her brother’s case "to try to still get justice for my brother, to make sure nobody forgets, not only what happened to him but who Derek was a person."

Alexander and her family are channeling their grief into helping young people. They’re asking for donations to Lifeline Animal Project. And they’ve raised hundreds of dollars for Derek’s passion -- youth soccer teams around metro Atlanta. "All that money is going to kids who play travel soccer, who can’t afford to pay for their club soccer fees or afford their uniforms," Alexander said.

Quataven Williams is charged with murder, aggravated assault and weapons violations. Investigators so far have not released information on a motive.