Mom Urges Community To Step Up In Search For Terrell Mayes' Killer
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's been almost four years since 3-year-old Terrell Mayes Jr. was shot will running for cover from gunfire outside his north Minneapolis home.
It was the day after Christmas 2011, when a single bullet pierced the side of the house on 26th and Colfax avenues.
Terrell and his brothers were trying to get away from gunfire when the three year old was hit.
On Monday, investigators said that once again they are looking for the public's help in finding who's responsible for this senseless death.
"I keep Terrell's picture on my desk every day to remind me that our work is not done," Chief Janee Harteau said at a Monday press conference.
MPD top brass, investigators and detectives say they take this case personally.
"What we need is somebody in the community to come forward with one piece of information that we're missing," Cmdr. Catherine Johnson said.
Minneapolis police hope a video, created by its new cold case squad, will generate new leads.
The video shows Terrell's mother, Marsha Mayes, and officers talking about the day he died and the impact it's had on them.
Investigators say they have chased down countless leads.
"We've had leads by mail, we've had leads by phone, we even went out and drummed up our own leads," Lt. Rick Zimmerman said. "We went to the state prisons, every state prison and asked persons to come forward who have information about the murder."
Marsha Mayes says she thinks about her son every day.
"I wake up to a six-year-old kissing an urn, saying, 'Mom, why my brother can't come from heaven and play with me,'" she said.
For the mother and her three sons, the past four years have not been easy.
She says police are doing all they can to find her son's killer.
Mayes says she needs the community to step up and get justice for Terrell.
"I'm a little mad at the community. I'm mad at the world. No one should ever let a 3-year-old's death go passing," Marsha Mayes said. "The same way Black Lives Matter and everybody was out here for Jamar Clark, they should have been out here like that for Terrell Mayes."
Over the years, up to 20 investigators have worked the Terrell Mayes case and right now four investigators are still following up on leads.
There is still a $60,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in this case.
