Vigils for murdered North Carolina honor student Phylicia Barnes were held in Baltimore and Charlotte, N.C., on the anniversary of the day the teenager went missing. Barnes was visiting family members in Baltimore when she disappeared from her half sister's apartment on Dec. 28.
She had been the subject of a multijurisdictional missing-persons investigation since January, officials said. The straight-A student was last heard from on Dec. 28 via Facebook, when she posted a note saying that she was at her sister's apartment with her sister's boyfriend. Barnes' body was recovered four months later in the Susquehanna River near the Conowingo Dam.
While Barnes' death has been ruled a homicide, police have not released the actual cause of death because of an ongoing investigation.
Friends, family and police joined together to remember Barnes, whose killer has still not been brought to justice. Maryland State Police spokesman Greg Shipley says that although an arrest has not been made, progress has been made in the investigation.
Brian Kuebler of ABC News reports that Barnes' father, Russell Barnes, stated:
"We are moving on, pressing to make sure this murderer, these killers will be caught. Simple as that. We have to. As long as Phylicia can rest … that is my goal."
The family also had vigils to keep Barnes' case in the public eye. This is a truly tragic case, and hopefully Barnes' killer or killers will be brought to justice. If you know anything about her disappearance or murder, you're urged to call the tip hotline at 855-223-0033.
Read more at ABC2News.com.