BILLINGS — It's been nearly seven months since 15-year-old Khoen Parker died, and still no arrests have been made. He died after being shot on January 16, 2022, near Castle Rock Park.
Khoen's family gathered at Amend Park to remember the teen on his birthday and make sure that his case does not go unsolved.
Khoen was born on July 13, 2006, and his family remembered him on what would have been his 16th birthday. They released balloons in his memory, some with special messages at Amend Park on Wednesday night.
"Pink is Khoen's favorite color," said Kathy Stricker, Khoen's grandmother. "Pink everything. That's why we did the pink hearts and messages to him. Letting him know we miss him and care. He loved parties. He'd like to have fun. He was funny and cute boy. Didn't deserve any of this. That's for sure."
Stricker put together the remembrance, which included 16 pink hearts and one with the number 16.
The balloon release was in celebration of a birthday he'll never have, but also to raise awareness that the person responsible has not been found.
"It's almost been seven months now since he was shot," Stricker said. "And still no arrests have been made. And there is a $15,000 reward out there for somebody with leads or to the arrest of this guy."
"There's a lot of people that don't want to talk," said Jessica Stricker, Khoen's aunt. "Because there has to be someone that saw something with as many people as there were up there."
Jessica Stricker used to babysit Khoen and his brother.
She said she's most frustrated by possible witnesses not speaking up and understands the challenges for police investigators.
"They can only do so much if they don't really have enough information," Jessica Stricker said.
On this day they chose to recall the good memories of Khoen.
"He's goofy, funny, very loving, but he always had to be the clown," said Kathy Stricker. "You know, always had to have everybody."
"He's just is trying to cheer people up," said Jessica Stricker.
"Yeah, that's how he was," Kathy Stricker said. "He was so kind."
"Just prayers day by day and trust in God that he's going to show us away to that killer," Kathy Stricker said. "And I'm going to say killer, not murderer. He killed my grandson."
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