Mother pleads for justice 2 years after son's murder in Cambridge
CAMBRIDGE -- A Cambridge mother is seeking justice for her teenage son who was gunned down at an area park in March of 2021. His death remains the last murder in Cambridge despite it happening two years ago.
"What would give me comfort is having his killer or killers behind bars for the rest of their lives," said Rayschell McCants, the mother of Xavier Louis-Jacques.
Louis-Jacques was shot numerous times on March 26, 2021. McCants says he was found dead the next day. He came to the basketball courts on Pemberton Street to swap sneakers. It's something he had done quite often. The courts are just minutes from his home.
"We Facetimed him, and he said he was stopping at the park, and he was on his way home. I sat on the couch, and I waited for him," remembers McCants. "Two men get out, and they ring my doorbell. I get to the door, it's the State Police. They asked if they could come in. They told me he was in an accident. I thought he was in a car accident. They said he had passed away."
The 19-year-old had just graduated high school and was heading to Xavier University. He was a student athlete and a potter. He even had his artwork featured at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. The art community has put up a mural at the park in his honor, as well as public art in Central Square.
"I didn't realize how many friends he had until he passed away," smiled McCants.
McCants believes the basketball courts were full that night, but no one has come forward to link Xavier's death to a possible suspect. We reached out to Cambridge Police for an update on the case. They gave WBZ this statement:
"The community's support with any investigation, particularly a murder, is paramount. While some people have come forward with useful information, we need more in order to tie everything together and pursue charges. We urge anyone with any information, no matter how small it may appear to be, to contact the Cambridge Police or the Middlesex District Attorney's Office. One tip could be the missing piece of information that helps us complete this investigation and provide justice to Xavier's family."
Xavier's family has since started a scholarship fund in his honor. They have given $3,000 to a student every year since his death.
"We set this up so he will never be forgotten, but the person who killed him will not be remembered," says McCants.