As one grieving mom put it, this isn't a fun club to belong to.
Dozens of people, all grieving the loss of a loved one whose killer hasn't been caught, gathered at a parking lot at 3907 Crackerneck Road in Independence.
"We have over 80 murders so far this year. Over 80 this year!" yelled Michelle Metje, the woman leading the vigil.
"Once your eyes have been opened up, you can't close them. And to me, I can't just turn away from the television after watching somebody go through this and know that I could've done something and I chose not to," Metje said.
Although a man was charged with her son Corey Laykovich's murder in January, Metje wanted to continue the vigil for the countless others who are still searching. Each family member took the microphone and told their story, all having a similar ending - no closure.
Jamie Runions, Jessica Runions’s mother, spoke out on behalf of her daughter and Kara Kopetsky. Both girls' killers haven't been caught.
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The Longdon family came from KCK, all wearing blue shirts with the picture of a smiling young man adorning the front. They told their son CJ's story for the first time. They've never been on the news about his murder. They say no one has ever asked. They feel CJ's case is slipping away.
"It's coming up on three years, and the detective still won't answer my questions," CJ's dad, Kyle Longdon Sr., said.
Only 20 years old, CJ was shot to death on November 18, 2014, while dropping a friend off at an apartment at 12th & Woodland. His family said when the suspect pointed a gun at his friend's head, CJ grabbed the gun, resulting in several shots fired. The suspect ran off, and CJ's friend sped to Truman Medical Center, where CJ died.
His family said he was fun-loving, outgoing, a lover of sports, and the Chiefs. He volunteered for his sister's Special Olympics team for 12 years, so CJ's murder was a devastating blow for them, too.
Now, with holes in their hearts, the Longdons don't go to family get togethers. They don't put up a Christmas tree anymore because it doesn't feel right without CJ.
"I ain't got my fishing buddy. It's just hard to live without him. Sometimes I just want to be with him. But I know I've got to stay strong for my two daughters and my wife," Longdon Sr. said, choking back tears. His wife, daughter, and sister-in-law stood beside him, holding up hand-made angel wings and signs.
"It just takes one tip. Not just my son, but all the other homicides out there,” Longdon Sr. said. “There's a lot of families hurting, and we deserve justice for our loved ones."
After each family spoke, they lined the street with their signs and candles, making sure their faces aren't forgotten.
"We're not going to go away," Metje said. "These murders need to be solved, and this needs to stop."
Anyone with any information about a homicide can call the TIPS Hotline anonymously.
