ADDICT CHARGED WITH MURDER

Man held without bail in killing that followed sexual assault

A capital murder charge was filed Wednesday against a 22-year-old drug
addict who police say is the "dangerous predator" who recently killed two
men, wounded another and assaulted three women.

Franklin Dewayne Alix, 22, was held in Harris County Jail without bail. He
is charged with killing Eric Bridgeford on Saturday after a sexual assault
on Bridgeford's sister.

Lt. Greg Neely, who headed the 10-man squad that solved the case, said more
charges could be filed. Alix has been linked to another killing Sunday, a
second sexual assault and nonfatal shooting in mid-December and robberies
dating back to July.

Detectives identified Alix in a July robbery and connected him to last
weekend's rampage. On Tuesday, investigators traced him to a friend's
apartment in the 6400 block of Bankside in southwest Houston.

When officers arrived there about 3:55 p.m. to arrest Alix, he jumped from
a second-story window and ran. Officers chased him to a residence in the
10800 block of Bob White and found him hiding under a picnic table.

In Alix's pockets, officers found jewelry taken from Christopher Thomas,
34, who was robbed Sunday about 3 a.m. in the 5700 block of Thrush in
southeast Houston as he sat in his car listening to music.

Detectives said Alix shot Thomas and left him to die lying beside his car.

Neely said "good basic police work" led to Alix's arrest. "We did a lot of
research on existing cases we thought might be related" to the 24-hour
crime spree in which Bridgeford and Thomas were killed, Neely said.

Alix was identified by witnesses in some of the cases and located through
the license plate number of a car used in a July robbery.

Neely said Alix has confessed to both killings, the sexual assaults and
robberies but has shown no remorse.

"He has a drug habit ... and no means of support," Neely said. "He needed
money. This was the only way he could support himself."

Alix is addicted to smoking fly, a concoction of marijuana mixed with
embalming fluid, Neely said. Alix lived with whatever friends would take
him in.

All but one of his victims were apparently chosen at random, Neely said.
Alix may have known about Thomas' jewelry and habit of listening to his
music in his car late at night because Alix once lived on Thrush.

The search for Alix began Sunday after evidence at the scene of Thomas'
killing was connected to the Bridgeford slaying 24 hours earlier.

Police said Alix abducted Bridgeford's sister from the 6400 block of
Creekbend in southwest Houston about 2 a.m. Saturday and raped her.
Afterward, officers said, he returned to the woman's home and shot
Bridgeford, 23, who walked in while Alix was robbing the home.

Police said Alix drove Bridgeford's friend's Acura to the 6400 block of
Dryad, where he forced a woman into the Acura's trunk and stole her Ford
Ranger.

He drove the Ranger to the 6200 block of Ludington, where he stole a Nissan
Pulsar from a man he had tried to force into its trunk.

About 24 hours later, Alix robbed and shot Thomas, police said.

They believe Alix is the man who attacked a woman Dec. 19, also in the 6400
block of Dryad.

Police said he kidnapped and sexually assaulted the woman before forcing
her into her car's trunk.

Then, they said, he drove around southwest Houston and committed several
robberies, including one in which he shot a security guard in the head and
stole his pistol. The guard is recovering.

The woman in the Dec. 19 attack is suing the apartment complex where she
lived with her mother, saying it negligently tied open a security gate.

Copyright 1997 Houston Chronicle