Houston police have identified a carjacker who shot dead his friend before stealing his car and then leaving his toddler inside to die in the sweltering heat.

Bolanle Fadairo, 38, has been charged with the murder of Michael Essien and his two-year-old son, Micah, in Houston, Texas, on September 20. 

Essien, 38,  got into an argument with Fadairo, before being shot dead in front of his young son, with the gunman taking off in his victims SUV.

Micah was still in the backseat, and was found hours later by officers who believe he died as a result of heat exhaustion - with outside temperatures reaching 93F.

It is understood that Fadairo deleted messages between himself and Essien before he was arrested. 

Essien’s wife reported that her husband and son were missing at around 6.40pm, hours after he was Shot Multiple Times by Fadairo at 1:45pm in El Camino Del Rey.

The dad-of-three leaves behind his wife and two other children, including a baby girl that was born just a week ago.

Officers discovered the stolen vehicle with the toddler inside five hours after his father was shot. 

Cops swooped on Fadairo’s apartment in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and have now charged him with two counts of murder and tampering with evidence.

An autopsy report is yet to be completed on the toddler, but investigators believe that he died from heat exhaustion after being in the car since around 2pm.

Officers broke the glass from the SUV and attempted to save the child, but he was pronounced dead by the time an ambulance arrived.

Essien’s sister, Jessie, told ABC that her nephew had just learned how to say her name, describing her brother as a ‘peaceful man’.

She said: ‘All I want is my brother and my 2-year-old who just learned how to say “Auntie Jessie.”

‘He called Auntie Jessie in the church Sunday. He ran and said, "Hi, Auntie Jessie".

‘Michael has a 5-year-old son and a 1-week-old baby, 1-week old. Michael has a wife. Lord Jesus, all I need is my brother.

‘Anybody that knows my brother knows Michael is a peaceful man. Michael never argued with anyone.

‘Michael takes the shirt off his body and gives to other people to put on. Michael would give the last dime he has to other people.’

Investigators believe that Fadairo met his victim at the agreed location, with the pair arguing before he shot his friend multiple times.

Essien fled a short distance, before collapsing in the parking lot as Fadairo stole his Chevrolet Traverse with Micha in the back and fled the scene.

Houston Police Executive Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite told reporters previously: ‘We never knew about the child until she called.

'Sadly, it was too late. The child had passed in the car. 

'At this time, we don't know why or how or what the cause of death will be. It could be something like heat exhaustion, we just don't know.

'That will be determined later through autopsy. 'It's the hardest thing we do. Children are innocent.'

Surveillance footage of the Fadairo shows him calmly walking around a convenience store after the killing, wearing black shorts, a white t-shirt, and an Oakland Raiders baseball-cap.