VICKSBURG, Mich. — More than 30 years ago, a 16-year-old Erik Cross left a late night party to walk home. The next morning his lifeless body was found lying in the road just outside of his house.
Cross' family and close friends continue their push to keep the teen's decades-old unsolved death in the forefront of the community.
"The family needs justice, they deserve justice," said Leah Colwell, who volunteers for the Erik Cross Foundation.
The foundation passed out fliers during a local chili cookoff Saturday to further promote awareness of Cross' unsolved case. Crime Watch Daily, which airs weekdays at 3 p.m. on FOX 17 will feature the case on Feb. 9.
>> Find more information on Crime Watch Daily on FOX 17 here.
"We're trying to get people to watch that so they're more aware of exactly what has gone on in this case," Colwell told FOX 17.
"Over 30 years ago there was a party that Erik went to, he left the party walking home and somebody obviously picked him up along the way. He was drug behind a car—possibly hit by the car—his body was left by the mailbox of his parents' home, and his father found him there early in the next morning."
In November, family and friends decided to sell wristbands with 'Justice for Erik Cross' written on them to raise money for awareness efforts. They continue to sell the wristbands to pay for more fliers, posters and other awareness events in the future.
New information uncovered in December lead to police identifying a person of interest in the case, but no official suspects have been named. Family members have contested all along they've know who killed Cross and believe he's still living in the community.
"This whole community should want to be involved in knowing what is going on here, this could happen again in this community, or any community around this area, or anywhere in the U.S.," Colwell said. "I just pray for the day there is justice, I think there will be so many people that are just elated that it finally happened
