Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 8-2-19

Feature
15 Years Later:
Mother Still Waits For Closure In Son’s Murder
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Six months ago, the family of a Tampa man remembered his life and celebrated his 40th birthday on January 9th. Now, six months later, they are re- membering the tragedy that took their loved one away from them.
Ms. Wanda Conaway, mother of Warren Donnell Mitchell, Sr., said, “It has been 15 years now, and we are still waiting. We are waiting for someone to be held ac- countable for his death.
“His son, my grandson, was 4 when his father was killed. He is 19-years-old today. Our family needs this closure. We need to have some answers.”
The murder took place shortly after 9 p.m., on August
1, 2004, 25-year-old Warren Donnell Mitchell, Sr., noti- fied a Tampa Police officer that he had been shot and needed help. The officer called Fire Rescue and life-saving measures were taken at the scene. Mitchell was trans- ported to Tampa General Hos- pital, where he died as a result of his injuries.
He was near the intersec- tion of Columbus Drive and MacDill Street when the unidentified assailant fired the fatal shot. He drove a short distance further before sum- moning help.
Detectives with the Tampa Police Department investi- gated the homicide. However, no one has been arrested and charged with the murder.
Ms. Conaway said, “Our family needs to have closure. We need that. I’m asking any-
WARREN DONNELL MITCHELL, SR. 1/9/1979 --- 8/1/2004
one with any information to please come forward and share that information with police so that we can move on. We have been waiting for 15 years.”
Ms. Conaway said since the loss of her son, she was
helped to suffer the loss by El- liott and Darla Sanders, a couple who lost a child to gun violence. “They really helped me. And since meeting them, I travel to different places and speak about gun violence. I’ve learned to cope with my loss, but I still need that closure. I truly need it.”
Several murders take place each year throughout the country. Once the leads have been exhausted, the cases are referred to as being “cold.” However, law enforcement re- opens cases as new leads be- come available.
The murder investigation is being conducted by the Tampa Police Department.
A spokesman for the Tampa Police Department said, “Our detectives have worked tirelessly and left no stone unturned working to
solve Warren Mitchell’s murder.
“Although 15 years have gone by, we believe there are people who can still recall how and who murdered Mitchell as though it happened yester- day. We need them to come forward with any information they have so that together, as a community, we can give War- ren’s grieving mother and his family the closure they have been waiting for.”
Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward of up to $3,000 for information leading to the identity, arrest and conviction of the person responsible for this murder.
Anyone with information about the murder who wishes to remain anonymous can do so by contacting Crime Stop- pers at 1-800-873-TIPS, or www.crimestopperstb.com.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2019 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDA PAGE 3-A