Balt. Police Still Trying To Solve McKenzie Elliott's Murder
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It's been 74 days and counting. Police have yet to make an arrest in the murder of a three-year-old girl killed as she played on her porch in Baltimore---but are they getting closer?
Mike Hellgren breaks down where the case stands now.
Just days ago, the only person of interest police ever named in the case was let go without being charged. Witnesses are simply not coming forward with critical information---despite renewed attention.
WJZ found a visible police presence in Waverly near the home where McKenzie Elliott was murdered on August 1. Some fear the three-year-old's killer will never face justice.
"No one's going to talk. No one's going to say anything and you can't blame them because once they do, their family is in jeopardy. No one wants to lose their kids or their loved ones so no one's going to talk," said neighbor Toby Smith.
Councilman Nick Mosby told WJZ the case has frustrated him.
"It's been several months since this incident. The longer it goes on, the harder it is to push the case," Mosby said.
Here's what we know now: the murder happened in broad daylight at around 4 p.m. A gunfight erupted at Old York Road and 36th Street, just feet from where Elliott was playing on her porch. Elliott was not the target but police have not said what the motive was for the gun battle that left two other people injured.
Police never charged the only person of interest, who was let go last week. Without providing more detail, they say their investigation "shifted" but insist there are "substantial leads" long after the commissioner's infamous initial promise that the killer would be caught within the week.
A reward is still being offered. Police have not revealed any of the evidence they recovered from the scene.
"It's just really disheartening and really disappointing to me. We have to develop a way of ending this divide between our communities and our criminal justice system," Mosby said. "We don't allow this three-year-old girl to die in vain."
Police did not want to speak about the case Monday, saying there were no significant developments over the weekend. They did urge anyone with information to come forward.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has called the killing an "outrageous act of cowardice."
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