INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - The family of a woman murdered last year hopes the public release of a photo of a "person of interest" brings them answers and closure.
"It's not right and he needs to be brought to justice," said Keisha Smith.
Smith's 21-year-old niece, Kaylin Cole, was found shot to death in a car on Senate Avenue near Morris Street November 15.
"To see her lying there with a hole in her left jaw, through her dimple, there's so many different things he could've done. He could've walked away," said Smith.
Smith works in health care and was selected by Cole's family to view her niece's body to help determine if the family should view the murder victim before her burial.
She says Cole was a licensed dental hygienist who was about to return to school for more training when she was shot in the face and left to die.
"My niece will be 22 in May," Smith said. "Instead of celebrating her birthday, we will be heading to South Bend to release balloons as her headstone is being laid."
The family has held vigils and earlier balloon launches, keeping Kaylin's case in the public eye.
"I definitely, definitely do not want my niece to be a cold case," Smith said.
The family is still trying to learn more about what happened in the hours before Kaylin's death. It's unclear. They hope the person of interest photo can fill in the blanks.
"She has a mother, father, she has two young siblings. She has aunts...she has a lot of aunts," Smith said.
"Kaylin was...she was full of life. You know, she didn’t deserve to have it taken from her at 21 years of age. She has so much more living to do and it’s not fair," Smith said.
She says Kaylin's eyes were very lively, even changing colors with the light. She'll never forget seeing her after her death. Her eyes were lifeless gray, she said.
Kaylin's family hopes if you’ve seen the man in the photo, you will call IMPD detectives or Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.