'Not Going To Stop': Murder Victim's Family Continues Fight 3 Years Later
LITTLETON, Colo. (CBS4) - The family of a man killed on his way to operate a snowplow three years ago on Monday is calling on anyone with information about his murder to come forward. Crime Stoppers also increased the reward for information leading to an arrest.
"It's been three years today and whoever did this needs to be caught," said Natasha Espinoza, the fiancee of Jaime Villarreal, Jr., killed in 2016. "We just want answers."
Espinoza and loved ones joined together at the scene of his murder on Sunday for a balloon release to remember Villarreal and bring attention to his unsolved case. Metro Denver Crime Stoppers says this case is the most shared in their history since they started posting on social media.
"Somebody out there knows something, it has to be at least one person, please come forward," Espinoza told CBS4. "Let us know who did this to him so our family has justice, for his children, for him."
The family has worked hard to keep this story in the public eye since he was murdered three years ago. They say it hasn't been easy to go so long without justice and it is frustrating that they do not have more information about the case.
"Our family has gone through a lot, his kids have suffered, they don't know what's really going on, they just know he's in heaven and they ask for him on a daily basis," she said. "I don't want to happen to another family, another family should have to go through what we've been going through."
While they search for his killer, they also want to remember a man that played so many roles in their lives. They say it is especially tragic that he lost his life heading to work, as a responsible parent and spouse.
"He was an amazing guy, he was an amazing father. He would do anything for anybody. Literally anybody," Espinoza said. "It shouldn't have happened the way that it did, he left our house that morning to go to work and he was killed, it's not like he was out partying or doing anything else."
Littleton Police responded to the scene of the murder at 5:30 am on March 18, 2016 at 8122 SouthPark Lane. The neighborhood of office parks are near W. Mineral Ave. and S. Windermere Street. Officers found the 23-year-old dead with a gunshot wound, according to Crime Stoppers.
Police say his Ford pickup truck was stolen, it had a snow plow attached. Officers later located it. The truck was abandoned and had been burned.
"I'm not going to stop, I'm going to do whatever I can," Espinoza said. "Try to figure out what happened to him, who did this to him."
Call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at (720) 913-7867.
LINKS: Metro Denver Crime Stoppers Facebook Page | Metro Denver Crime Stoppers
