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Mothers of murder victims demand answers from Detroit police

By Camille Amiri and Nour Rahal
Published  December 20, 2023 6:46pm EST
Detroit
FOX 2 Detroit

Moms demand answers to their children's unsolved murders

"We’re simply saying we don’t want this year, 2023, to end with no action," said Delisa Glaspie, who lost her 18-year-old son in the summer of 2023.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A coalition of mothers gathered in front of the Detroit Police headquarters Wednesday afternoon, demanding justice in the unsolved murders of their children.

"We’re simply saying we don’t want this year, 2023, to end with no action," said one mother, Delisa Glaspie. "We’re going to keep sending pictures, we're going to keep sending messages, we're going to do everything we can do as mothers."

Glaspie lost her 18-year-old son, Khalil Allen, while he was picking up food in the summer of 2023; he was getting ready to head off to college. A suspect was never arrested. 

"He was in my truck. My truck was shot up 18 times. My son, 11 gun shot wounds," Glaspie said.

Now, she and a group of mothers with similar experiences are asking the police and the community for answers.

Alisa Sanders’ son, Derrell Rockette, was murdered on Dec. 10, 2022. 

While Rockette was at a house on Ashton Ave. in Detroit, a man came in, shot him, and then just left. A year later, a person of interest was released by investigators, yet no arrests have been made.

"The community has to help. They have to start speaking up. They can’t stand on a code, saying they (are) snitching," Sanders said. "How are you snitching? You’re not snitching, you’re telling on somebody that murdered someone's child, their mother, their grandmother."

Hayden Davis, 29, was shot to death on Detroit's west side in July 2022. Her mother Tabitha Dudley Nahabedian said joining forces with these mothers has strengthened their voices, demanding answers from investigators.

"I believe they’re going to get it done," Nahabedian said. "I would like them to get it done for not just for us mothers, but all the mothers – because there’s mothers before us, there's mothers coming after us."

DPD Chief James White said, the department is currently at a 52% clearance rate when it comes to homicides.

"I wish it was at 100%, but i don’t know any agency our size that’s got a 100% clearance rate," White said. "But 52% is strong – shows that our investigators, our detectives are working very hard. Our community relationships are paying off, helping us close these cases."

Those with information about any unsolved crimes, call Crimestoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP.