Local family still looking for answers 1 year after son’s death

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - One family is still looking for answers as the one year anniversary of her son’s death approaches.

Someone shot and killed Thaddeus Price Jr. last year on Sycamore Drive.

His family is now left searching for any leads in his case.

The line of communication between families and the sheriff’s office is getting harder to keep as homicide cases keep stacking up. It leaves families like Price’s wondering if they’ll ever get closure.

Every time Price’s mom visits him, she whispers a promise.

“We’ve got to keep your name out here,” said Nicole Johnson. “Let you know that we haven’t forgotten about you and that justice is going to be served.”

She has a year-long plea waiting to be answered.

“The hard part is not having any closure,” said Johnson. “And I just really want answers. I just want to know why. Why did this have to happen to him?”

She is not the only one asking these questions.

Sgt. Randall Amos with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office said: “That’s their loved one and we want to bring justice to them and their families.”

Amos added that it’s not easy to get people to open up on cases.

“A lot of times, people are afraid to talk to the police and they don’t necessarily come seeking us out when they may have even the littlest piece of information,” said Amos.

Even the smallest bit of information can help investigators.

“Families talk to neighbors and friends and more people than we do in these investigations,” said Amos. “There is information out there and we encourage the families to talk to those people and have them reach out.”

In the meantime, it’s a waiting game for families.

Johnson said: “I hear his voice and that’s given me the strength that I need to keep going and to keep fighting for him. He shouldn’t be here. He should be out enjoying his life. He was the life of the party. He was loved. He was loved.”

A new Georgia law could soon provide answers to families like Price’s.

The Coleman-Baker Act goes into effect on July 1. The impact in Augusta could be felt soon.

The sheriff’s office is going to provide a written application for people to come in, and fill out basic information like the victim’s name, case number, and incident date.

The key information will come from those filling out the form because the sheriff’s office will use that information to contact people.

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