Mother seeks answers in son's murder - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Mother seeks answers in son's murder

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By Cade Fowler - bio | email
It's been several months of worry and heartache for Jacqueline Smith It's been several months of worry and heartache for Jacqueline Smith

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CORDELE, GA (WALB) -

It's been several months of worry and heartache for Jacqueline Smith. Not only did she lose her son at the hands of killer, but that killer remains a free man.

"Sometime I wake up in the morning and call his phone and then I have to catch myself and think that's he's not here anymore," said Smith who lives with that grim reminder everyday.

Her son, 39-year-old Atonzo Smith, was gunned down inside his West 18th Avenue home just after midnight July 3, 2012.

"Everything went through my mind because that's my only child. That's the only child I had," Smith said.

You can still see where a gun blast pierced the concrete walls and broke out part of glass window.

According to investigators, Smith walked to his backdoor to speak someone when they opened fire. GBI agents spent hours at the scene collecting evidence but leads have been slim.

"The only thing we're asking at this point is for people in the community to come forward with any information that might assist us with this investigation," said GBI Agent Terry Howard.

"Right now I'm not at peace because I know that somebody knows what happened to my child. How would they feel is something to happened to their child or their son?" asked Smith.

"There not a day that goes by that I don't think about him," she said.

Agents believe Smith knew his killer and right now the only thing between justice and closure in his death is someone coming forward with the information of who pulled the trigger.

While the motive remains unclear, this homicide, and others like it in the Cordele area, are hampered by people not coming forward with information.

The victim's grieving mother is pleading for someone to come forward with information.

"I cant call and tell him I love him or nothing," said Smith.

If you have any information you are asked to call Cordele Police at 273-3102 or the GBI in Americus at 931-2439.

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