Gang violence allegedly claimed the life of an innocent victim in Modesto, California at about 1 a.m. on August 24, 2003. Lacy Ferguson, a 25-year-old single mother, was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
According to local authorities, Lacy and her boyfriend, John Ritchie, were in a convenience store parking lot located in an area that has experienced gang activity in the past. Suddenly shots rang out, catching them by surprise. The shooters were in a dark colored vehicle that cruised slowly through the parking lot. The police believe there were at least two Hispanic males in the car, and that their target was a gang-banger named Adrian Vega. Neither Lacy nor John knew Vega; they just happened to be passing by his parked car. John and Lacy were struck by bullets. Fortunately for John, his wounds were not life-threatening. But Lacy’s were fatal. Although there were several witnesses to the incident, no arrests were made and the case remains unsolved.
However, Lacy's mother, Boni Driskill, has not given up on getting justice for Lacy. She has worked tirelessly to keep the story alive and in the public eye. Boni is president of Wings of Protection, a victim’s advocacy group that she co-founded with Susan Levy, the mother of Chandra Levy, the intern murdered in Washington, DC in 2001, and Donna Raley, step-mother of Dena Raley McClusky, who went missing in October 1999. Dena’s body was found eight years later.
Brian Sullivan disappeared early in the morning of July 8, 2007. According to reports, the a 19-year-old Churchville-Chili High graduate had spent the previous evening watching a movie at a friend’s house, then bought breakfast at the drive-through of a Chili Avenue Burger King. Investigators found a receipt for the food stamped with the time of 5:38 a.m. in Brian’s car. The red 1995 Pontiac Sunfire was found in front of a 100-acre wooded area on nearby Lettington Avenue.
The story made all the local news outlets, and family members passed out or hung posters bearing Brian’s smiling picture and asking for help in the search. When the search didn’t turn up useful leads, the Sheriff’s Office turned to the New York Branch of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for additional help.
Joining us is Brian’s mother Barbara Sullivan and Monica Caison founder of the non-profit CUE Center for Missing Persons, which is focused on finding the missing, advocating for their causes, and supporting their families.
Offering a wide range of free services, CUE has since helped more than 8,700 families in what is often the most confusing and desperate times of their lives. In addition to providing services for the missing and their families, CUE offers college internships and youth mentoring programs.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Time: 9:00 PM EST and 8:00 PM CST
Show Link: www.blogtalkradio.com/crimewire
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Join co-hosts Denny Griffin retired Police Investigator and Author, Susan Murphy-Milano Violence Expert and Author and Vito Colucci Jr.Private Eve and Author. Along with the Crime Wire noted experts and attorney's Mickey Sherman, Fox News Analyst Lis Wiehl, Al Dressler, Peter Hyatt, Donna Pendergast, Gene Cervantes, Patrica Caristo and Shery McCollum each week
