CUMBERLAND COUNTY, N.C. – Almost every day, Mara Ramos visits her son's grave to clean his headstone.
- SPC Jose J. Melendez, Jr. was shot and killed on Raven Road in Raleigh on Nov. 29, 2017
- Raleigh police and Army investigators say they have no leads
- Authorities are offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction
Monday would have been SPC Jose J. Melendez, Jr.'s 33rd birthday. It also marks 20 months since he was murdered in Raleigh. Ramos said it's been an emotional roller coaster ever since then.
“Some days, you're fine. Some days, you're sad,” she said.
Raleigh police said they still don't have any updates in the investigation. The U.S. Army's Criminal Investigation Command said it is assisting Raleigh police with several aspects of the investigation, including evidence processing. Army investigators said their jurisdiction is limited because the murder did not happen on military property and does not currently involve a suspect who is an active-duty servicemember. Ramos said she wants the Army to do more given the caseload state investigators face.
In the meantime, Ramos said if anyone saw or heard anything on or around Raven Road that night, they should contact police.
“They might have heard something and think it very insignificant, but it might be the clue to lead to the arrest of someone,” she said.
Police said anyone with information about Melendez's death should contact Det. Brad Snowden at (919) 524-7791. You can also leave an anonymous tip with Raleigh Crimestoppers at (919) 834-4357.