DENVER — This Saturday will mark eight years since a Denver father of three was found shot to death and his family is still waiting for answers about who is responsible for his death.
"It's hard all year long," said Desi Mills. "There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about my son and what happened to him. I thank God for making it possible for us to survive this tragedy...but it's hard."
Her son, Toshio Gilmore, 33, was found shot to death on a couch outside the Renaissance at Lowry Boulevard apartments on Alton Way on the morning of Dec. 31, 2014. According to Denver Police, he lived at the complex with his mother.
"There is evidence Mr. Gilmore was shot in the area in which he was found deceased," Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said Thursday. "Numerous residents were interviewed but it is unclear what time the shooting occurred since there were no reports of gunfire or a disturbance in the area."
Thomas and Toshio Gilmore's parents joined together Thursday in the area where he was fatally shot to announce an increase in reward for information in the case through Metro Denver Crime Stoppers. Tippers can now be eligible for a special reward of up to $5,000.
"I would appreciate anyone with any information leading to any clues about what happened to our son," said Mills. "That dreadful night that took him away from us. No one deserves to die that way. So please anyone with any information we are pleading with you to call Crime Stoppers with any information that will help us find who did this to our son. Toshio Gilmore, he was a good man."
Family members said the holidays just aren't the same since his death and noted that they've been unable to celebrate New Year's since the tragedy.
"New Year's isn't quite the same," said Vince Gilmore, who is Toshio's father. "So we would just pray that we could finally get a little bit of closure."
Toshio Gilmore left behind three children, two sons and a daughter. His youngest son was only an infant when he died.
"They were quite young when this happened," said Vince Gilmore. "They don't remember a whole lot. They ask, 'how was my dad? What kind of man was he?' And we always tell them, you had a great dad."
Information about the case can be shared anonymously by calling 720-913-7867 or by going to metrodenvercrimestoppers.com. A reward of up to $5,000 is available.
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