Nearly two years later, A Valley mother is still searching for answers after her teenage son was killed in a shooting in South Phoenix.
On Feb. 18, 2016, 17-year-old Demetric Carter and two other men were shot in a parked car near Southern and Central avenues. Carter died from his injuries.
According to police, the victims were shot by three men who were on-foot. The group of suspects left the scene after firing several shots.
The other victims — a 19-year-old man and a 21-year-old man — suffered serious injuries. Their names still have not been released.
Demetric Carter’s family held a candlelight vigil for him Saturday at the Resthaven Park Mortuary and Cemetery in Phoenix near 40th Street and Southern Avenue. The vigil comes just two weeks before Carter would have turned 19 years old.
"Instead of holding a 19th birthday party, we're holding a candlelight (vigil)," said Dala Tarvin, Carter's mother.
Tarvin told ABC15 she is determined to find the person, or people, who killed her son nearly two years ago.
"There's no healing," she said. "There's growing, but there's no healing."
The Saturday night vigil took place at the gravesite of Carter's brother, who also passed away last year.
Prior to a balloon release, Tarvin shared a message for whoever murdered her son.
"First and foremost, I am a woman of God, so know in your heart that I forgive you," she said. "But you also need to know that justice is justice."
Tarvin remembers her son as having a big smile.
"My son's smile would light up this whole place," she said. "I'm not saying he was perfect, but he definitely didn't deserve to die."
No arrests have been made in connection with the case, however, investigators believed the shooting stemmed from a “drug deal gone bad.”
Phoenix police are looking for at least two men in connection with Carter's death, but have not released any detailed suspect description. If you have any information on this case, you can contact Silent Witness at 480-948-6377.
