THORNTON, Colo. — The family of Rayvon Lewis, a 22-year-old man who died under unclear circumstances in Thornton, is still searching for answers. Nearly a month after his death, his loved ones gathered for a vigil on Saturday to honor his memory and demand justice.
On May 4, police said a motorcyclist discovered Lewis unconscious in the street near the intersection of Washington Street and 88th Avenue. He died later that night in the hospital due to his injuries.
On Saturday, June 1, dozens of family members and friends gathered at the intersection, bringing balloons, flowers, candles, and pictures of Lewis. They memorialized him a few feet away from where he was found.
“This hurts. I don't even believe that I'm doing this today,” said Carolina Lewis, his mother.
The blue and white mementos at the vigil represented Rayvon Lewis' love for the Dallas Cowboys.
“He was funny, and he was a very kind and loving young man… He wasn't out there hanging around people outside of the family,” Carolina said, describing her shock upon learning of her son’s death.
Police said Lewis might have fallen from the back of a truck. However, the family said doctors reported that he suffered multiple blunt-force injuries to the back of his head.
“No road rash on his body, there is no consistency with him falling out of a truck… My family does not believe that it was an accident,” said Jeaneen Yslas, Lewis' cousin.
The intersection consistently sees traffic throughout the day, leaving the family frustrated by the lack of witnesses. The family said that police informed them the traffic camera at the intersection was not working on the day Lewis died. Authorities are still searching for the motorcyclist who called 911 and left the scene, believing this individual to be the only witness.
“We want justice, we want to know what happened. We want to know why his life was taken the way it was. He didn't deserve to die like that in the street,” Yslas said.
At Saturday’s vigil, attendees lit candles and released balloons in Lewis' memory.
While the family remains in the dark about the full story, they are determined to keep Lewis' memory alive and seek justice.
“We came together as a family to celebrate his life and to let him know that we love him and we care about him. And we're going to continue to fight for justice for him. We're going to continue to fight to figure out what happened,” Yslas said.
In a statement, Thornton Police said, "We are desperate to find out what happened, to honor the victim and his family, who are experiencing such a horrible loss."
The family is still awaiting Lewis' autopsy report for an official determination of death. They are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Thornton Police encourage the witness or anyone with relevant information to contact their tip line at 720-977-5069. Thornton PD is also using Crime Stoppers so tipsters can be guaranteed anonymity and are eligible for a reward. To remain anonymous and qualify for a reward, tipsters have to contact the tip line at 720-913-7867 or submit online at www.MetroDenverCrimeStoppers.com.
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