ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke family has some answers, but still a lot of questions after federal investigators announced a break in their loved one's murder.
Monday, federal investigators announced charges against suspected gang members in Roanoke. As a part of the investigation, one of the suspects, 19-year-old Trayvone Kasey, is now charged in connection with Markel Girty's murder.
"It still doesn't bring him back, so it still is that bittersweet moment," said Amy Girty, Markel's mother. "It's still times that we're missing out with him and the kids are missing out. We're all missing Markel. It doesn't bring him back but it does help to know that it's not a cold case."
Investigators said Kasey robbed and murdered Markel in Roanoke in February, and Monday's announcement was the first major development in Markel's case since February. The news literally took Amy's breath away.
"There's nothing really that they could say as to why they did what they did, other than just a callous, cold heart because they took more than they could have ever gained in this situation," Amy said.
Amy said her family doesn't know Kasey and doesn't know how Markel knew him.
"I still have the, 'Why? Why would you do that? What was it all for?' I do think that if it wasn't Markel that it would have been somebody else that day," Amy said.
She said she takes comfort that there have been developments in her son's case, but there's no closure for her family or the two young children Markel leaves behind.
"It's still not going to be closed because I'm watching his seed, his children grow up, without their father," Amy said. "That's a place none of us, his aunties, uncles, me, none of us can replace that."