Crime Stoppers advertises cold cases on Lee County billboards, buses

Reporter: Taylor Petras
Published: Updated:

Crime Stoppers is hoping people will step up, helping to solve cold cases and track down bad guys. It has started to place logos, with phone numbers on billboards and buses. For one mother whose son’s killer has not been caught, she understands why these advertisements are crucial.

One of Angela McClary’s constant reminders of her slain son is a key chain with his picture.

“Everyday it seems like there’s some type of reminder for us that Deonte is no longer going to be with us,” Angela said.

Someone shot and killed her son, Deonte, and his half-brother, Zachary, outside of a home on South St. in Fort Myers more than five years ago. Their killers are still on the loose.

MORE: Fort Myers mom awaits promise in son’s cold case killing

“I know that someone’s seen something,” Angela said. “Knows something because there were several people there at the time of his murder.”

Angela knows she is not alone in her hope for justice.

Trish Routte, who works with SWFL Crime Stoppers, said there are numerous unsolved cases due to a lack of information.

Now, Crime Stoppers is taking a new approach to getting people with information to come forward. It is putting up banners at bus stops and on buses that drive all over Lee County.

“Whether you’re outside sitting at a shelter, whether you’re driving down the road seeing the bus or you’re inside the bus looking at the ads inside,” Trish said, “we just hope people remember to call CrimeStoppers.”

It is a call that can hopefully bring closure to families like Angela’s.

“It has to be one person brave enough and say, ‘no more in our community,'” Angela said.

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