PHOENIX — For Brenda Gilliam-Miller and her family, Nov. 28 is a day to celebrate life.
It was the day one of her daughters, Destiny McClain, was born. This year, that celebration was important, as it was going to be Destiny’s 25th birthday.
“Her murder, unfortunately, it’s still unsolved,” Gilliam-Miller said.
On July 18, 2021, Destiny was killed after a night out with friends near 18th Street and McDowell Road.
Phoenix police said she was killed around 3:30 a.m. Destiny was at a food truck when she was struck by one of several bullets that were fired into the crowd of people surrounding her.
The bullets were fired from a vehicle that passed by driving east. Police describe it as a newer model dark-colored 4-door sedan, authorities said.
Investigators, think the shooting was random, and Destiny was not the intended target. Still, intentional or not, her family has now been dealing with the pain of her sudden loss for more than a year.
“No parent should ever have to bury their child,” said Destiny’s father, Jermel Ford. “She was the glue that always put us back together.”
Destiny’s parents said they have resorted to God and prayers to help them with their grief.
“I just have to have that faith that we will get those answers because she was too good of a person for us not to get some closure,” her mother said.
Police said the case is still under investigation.
“If you know something, please reach out. Contact the police,” Ford said. “Help us as a family get the closure that we need.”
Destiny is remembered as a joyful person, who always made everyone laugh.
Her family is creating a memorial outside their home to honor her memory, and to keep her legacy alive, they are in the process of creating a scholarship in her name.
“Destiny was such a giving person, so we feel this would be the best way to memorialize her,” Destiny’s mother said.
There is a reward of up to $7,000 for any information that leads to an arrest. Details can be provided anonymously by contacting Silent Witness at 480-W-I-T-N-E-S-S, 480-948-6377, or 480-T-E-S-T-I-G-O for Spanish speakers.
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