KSHB 41 News reporter Braden Bates covers parts of Jackson County, Missouri, including Lee's Summit. Send Braden a story idea by e-mail.
A few months after Elayjah Murray's murder, friends and family gathered to celebrate what would have been her 19th birthday with a balloon release on March 7.
In November, Murray was home for Thanksgiving break from Missouri State University.
According to investigators, as she was being dropped off after a night out, one of the people she was with, Eric R. Phillips II, shot and killed her.
While investigators said the shooting happened in Independence, her body was left near East 87th Street and Blue River Road in Kansas City.
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Now months later, family and friends brought balloons and cupcakes and cookies to the area near where her body was found.
The balloon release was planned by Murray's grandmother, Jearl Collins, whom KSHB 41's Alyssa Jackson spoke with in December.
"This isn't fair. She deserved to see tomorrow," Collins told Jackson.
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The Saturday event started with a prayer.
"God today we thank you, we ask that you be with the brokenness. Those who are still mourning God. Those who are still having a heavy heart, God. And most all God we ask for vengeance," a family friend said.
Shortly after the prayer, there was a quick countdown and then the crowd yelled, "Happy birthday Lay Lay" as they released their balloons.
Those in attendance said they believe Murray received their message of love.
"Went straight up to heaven but then there was one balloon I saw that got left behind. That balloon to me signified, that that was Lay Lay, right there," Fredricka Osby, a woman close to Elayjah, said.
Those who knew Murray said the gathering brought the community together.
"Everybody around her is family and friends. Like we're all together. We all grew with each other. Like, I love that we are all as close as we are now today," Pricilla Plaisime, a high school classmate, said.
Her family said her 19th birthday was still a celebration, bringing together laughter and community, along with calls for action.
"I just believe that he will be found," Osby said.
The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office charged Eric Phillips II with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse in the case.
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Investigators are working to find him and he has not been arrested.
"If you know the slightest bit of information, reach out to somebody. Open up to police departments, you're not going to hurt anybody's feelings. They just want justice for their granddaughter, daughter, friends, family. And I love you Lay," Elayjah's former teammate and friend, Bailey Foster, said.
As law enforcement continues to work to locate Phillips, anyone with information is urged to call Independence police at 816-325-7300.
Anonymous tips can be called in at 816-474-8477 or submitted online at kccrimestoppers.com.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
