NORFOLK, Va. — A Hampton mother is on a mission. She is seeking justice in the murder of her son who was shot and killed last year.
Unhappy with the progress of the police investigation, she is taking matters into her own hands.
Dana Paul, the mother of Joshua Paul, tells News 3 that a year later, detectives still haven't made an arrest. But if you take a look at the billboard along E. Brambleton Avenue near the intersection where it crosses Tidewater Drive in Norfolk, Paul says she's attempting to solve the case and get the killers arrested.
"It never gets old with me; it just gets harder," Dana said.
Tears streamed down her face as she spoke of her son, Joshua. He was shot and killed along Bagnall Road last year.
"His last text was, 'Mommy, I love you,' and I just put the heart by [it]. I told him I would call him later," said Dana.
Now, more than a year later, Norfolk Police and detectives still haven't made an arrest in the case.
"It's very difficult; it's very hard. It reaches your soul, it really does. I think what keeps me going is his kids," said Dana.
She said it's now time to take matters into her own hands - starting with putting up the billboard, hoping that of the hundreds of drivers who pass by, one of them may have the answers she seeks.
"I'm hoping someone may know something to come forward and just have integrity. He has children; he has a family. He was a person," said Dana.
She said she put the billboard up at the beginning of November, and someone has already reached out to her with some information.
"I'm hoping it's somebody that actually seen what happened or was nearby and heard what happened," said Dana.
Last year, she was offering a $10,000 reward to help bring her son's killer forward, but now she has doubled the reward to $20,000.
"I have to get that justice; I need that justice. Before I close my eyes for the last time, I need that justice, that peace. It may not bring him back, but I need that peace," said Paul.
News 3 reached out to Norfolk Police about the status of this investigation and to see if they have any leads, but they declined an interview with us. However, they did send an email and they told us this killing remains an active investigation.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Norfolk Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (1-888-562-5887).
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