PHOENIX — Every July since 2018, Kathy Kirkconnell has made the trip from her home in California to Phoenix for two reasons. Honoring the life of her son Matthew and finding his killer.
“He was my baby; everybody would say that,” says Kirkconnell.
Since the murder of her son in July 2018, Kirkconnell has pleaded for just one thing… justice.
"I feel like we have a very lazy police department not putting a whole lot of effort into finding the person responsible for (killing) my son."
Kirkconnell's son Matthew Groves was shot and killed in July 2018 outside the Purple Turtle Bar near 51st Avenue and Indian School Road.
Investigators say the 26-year-old was riding his skateboard when he was shot. Family members say his killer stole his backpack.
Thursday, Matthew’s family returned to the scene where he lost his life to hold a vigil outside the bar.
Kirkconnell says with each year that passes by, information from detectives and police becomes hard to come by.
She says not having information to get justice for Matthew is frustrating.
At one point, she says the family hired a private investigator after an initial arrest fell flat.
She says and was providing police detectives more information to them than she was receiving.
Kirkconnell says she has leaned on her family and faith to get her through the years after Matthew’s murder
She described Matthew as her buddy and someone who had a smile that could light up a room.
She says Matthew was an organ donor. His gift, she says, was able to save five lives.
She just hopes the public and police don’t forget about him and that she won’t have to return for the fifth year.
"There's so much out there there's video people who haven't been investigated. It's really quite sad," Kirkconnell says.
Kathy Kirkconnell says she plans to meet with top Phoenix police leaders, including Chief Jerri Williams, on Friday.
A $10,000 reward is available for information that leads to the arrest of Matthew’s killer.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: 'Siento que tenemos un departamento de policía muy perezoso': Mamá busca justicia 4 años después de que mataron a balazos a su hijo en Phoenix
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