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1 Year Later, Md. Soldier's Murder Still Unsolved

CATONSVILLE, Md. (WJZ)--A soldier home for the holidays is murdered in Baltimore. One year later, his killer is still on the loose, and his family is pleading for help.

Weijia Jiang has the story.

Private Clifford Williams, 22, came home to Maryland, while on a two-week leave from Afghanistan last year. Three days later, a call shattered those who love him.

"She said Cliff just got shot," said Djenaba Pleasant-Bey, the victim's grandmother.

He was shot in the streets of Baltimore just four days before Christmas and five days before his birthday.

His grandmother raised Williams since he was a baby.

"It's a whole different lifestyle in a year's time," she said. "Our life has totally changed because he's not in it anymore."

The solider was part of the U.S. Army Aviation responsible for repairing aircraft.

Police say Williams was returning from a Catonsville grocery store when a gunman shot several rounds into his SUV.

Even then, investigators knew finding answers would be difficult.

"We still haven't found a crime scene because after the victim was shot, he drove a short ways to summon help," said Anthony Guglielmi, Baltimore City Police.

For Williams' family, including his 3-year-old son, the pain of knowing the triggerman is free will taint every holiday season.

Over the weekend, they held a vigil in hopes that someone who knows something will reveal it.

"That's all we want. If you seen a little thing and you don't think it might help, it might help," said the victim's loved one. "Please come forward to let us know, so his family can have some closure. We are suffering hard."

Baltimore City Police have no leads at this time. They urge anyone with information to contact them immediately.

Williams would have wrapped up his tour in Afghanistan in April.

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