COCOA, Fla. – The mother of a man who died from injuries in a December 2016 shooting is making a plea for help in finding her son’s killer.
At a press conference Wednesday, the mother of Jonte Thomas, 36, spoke about her son’s death and asked the community for information that will help find the person or people responsible.
During the press conference, Anita Gibson called her son's killer "the dream killer" because she said the shooter killed her dreams with her son.
"I need him. Jonte and I were tied to the hip more or less," Gibson said. "You know what happened -- the dream killer. You need to come forth to face the consequences."
Gibson urged anyone with information about the shooter to speak come forward.
“If we as a people don’t come and speak out on these people who shoot our children, they will feel that they can get away with murder. We must speak up for our children,” she said. “I’m begging, I’m pleading to someone to come forth -- to give me the closure that I need.”
Thomas was shot in the early morning hours on Dec. 9 while he and two others were returning home from celebrating Cocoa High School's State Championship victory.
Investigators said Thomas was driving a white Chevy Impala and turning from Fiske Boulevard onto Mitchell Street when he was shot.
Detectives later obtained video of a suspected vehicle which appeared to be a white Nissan Altima or Maxima, or similar vehicle.
Thomas died on May 1 as a result of injuries suffered during the shooting.
Anyone with information that can help solve the case is asked to call the Central Florida Crimeline at 800-423-8477. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $5,000.