Mother Asks For Public's Help In 2004 Murder Of Teen Daughter
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NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) - A tearful mother is asking for the public's help in the murder of her teenage daughter in 2004 and Miami-Dade Police are hoping the appeal will stir up new leads in the cold case.
"She was very precious and I miss her a lot," said Delcia Oliva, the mother of Delcia Mejia, who was found stabbed to death inside her home in the Colonial Acres Mobile home community at 9674 N.W. 10th Avenue on September 17th, 2004.
Oliva told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that "She was my baby, you know and I miss her every day, every day, every day."
A tearful Oliva said, "I think about her all the time. The first few years were so difficult for me. I thought I was going to die. Every time when I go somewhere I remember her."
Delcia, who was a student at Miami Beach High School, was her only child.
"It's difficult," she said. "I don't have any more babies."
Miami-Dade Police have released a cold case flyer in which they say Delcia Mejia was last seen alive at 11 p.m. on September 16th, 2004, watching television inside of her home. That's where she lived with her mother and step-father, Raul Mata. They say her mother left the home for work on the morning of September 17th at 5:30 a.m. but did not check on her daughter. They say Mata left the home at 7:45 a.m. and returned home at 9:18 a.m. and discovered Delcia Mejia's body.
CBS4 obtained the 911 tape in which Mata was recorded talking to a dispatcher.
"We need someone to come here," he told the dispatcher. "My daughter. My daughter. Somebody killed my daughter."
Mata and Oliva have since separated. Mata, who is a nurse, has moved to California.
Detective Robert Miller, who is the original investigator and has been looking into the death ever since it happened, told D'Oench that Mata is a suspect and said while he was questioned extensively, he denied any involvement in the death.
"I do believe that there is one individual out there who can shed some light on this case and take it in a new direction," said Miller, as he sat beside a box of documents and evidence inside Miami-Dade Police headquarters.
"The bottom line is that we owe it to the family the bring them the answers and the truth and for the deceased, we owe them justice," Miller said. "I take this case personally because this is a young vibrant 16-year-old girl in the prime of her life with dreams and aspirations. I have children myself."
"Even though common sense dictates that we look at Mata, I don't want us to be oblivious to anyone else. I don't want the people out there to focus all of their attention on Mr. Mata. If there is any bit of information out there that will lead us to another individual, I am all ears."
Oliva prays that someone will come forward with information to help solve this case.
"I believe in God," she said. "He is not blind. We hope the public can help. If you know anything, talk to them and police. You can help me, you know. There will be justice. I want people to tell the truth. The truth will come out later."
"I had only one baby," she said. "God gave me the strength to go through."
Detective Miller said the murder weapon was never recovered. But he said there are some leads. New items are being tested because of advances in DNA technology.
Anyone with information concerning this crime should call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477) or send an e-mail to hominfo@mdpd.com.
There's a reward of up to $3,000 in this case.