More than 150 Philadelphia homicides from 2012 unsolved

PHILADELPHIA - March 1, 2013 (WPVI) -- Of the 334 homicides in Philadelphia in 2012, more than 150 of them are still unsolved.

Not only are the killers still on the streets, but those 150 families are still waiting for justice. They are crying out for more to be done to keep Philadelphia safe and to make sure dangerous criminals are behind bars.

"We are just hoping that someone has seen something," said Mike Hagan.

It's a somber walk, Hagan has made dozens of times, posting flyers. His son, Michael was gunned down on July 1st in Society Hill.

"When are we going to get an answer?" said Hagan.

It's a question that he and many other Philadelphia families are still asking.

"We don't know nothing. It is a mystery, a big mystery," said Rafeal Colon.

Colon's sister Melanie disappeared on May 8th from her North Philadelphia home.

"It's not fair. Me and my family have to live like this every day," said Colon.

Her body was found days later on Mother's Day in Juniata Park but her killer has yet to be found.

"I think they are not doing enough," said Colon.

A feeling that's all too similar to the family of Eric Murray.

Murray, a father of two, was shot to death when gunmen burst through the door and unleashed a barrage of bullets on him.

"I don't feel safe anytime I walk out the door nowhere in this city," said Alfred Burton, Murray's father.

Burton says it was a vicious robbery attempt.

"That was it, he started shooting. And my son came out of his room, and fell in the hallway," said Burton.

These three families and so many others are still seeking justice.

"Somebody needs to do something," said Burton.

"My sister did not kill herself. My sister did not take a gun to shoot herself six times," said Colon.

Action News tracked down Police Commisioner Charles Ramsey at a public safety event and asked if more needs to be done to solve homicides in the city.

"We've got an excellent homicide unit. And it takes time, not every homicide is easy to solve. But those we do not solve, usually it is within a few days and sometimes it takes a little longer," said Comm. Ramsey.

Ramsey also says the difficulty in many cases is that there are no witnesses or at least no one that is willing to come forward.

"We do what we can to get them off the street," said Ramsey.

As for the families, they are still seeking answers.

"Get this guy who killed Michael, get him off the streets, he doesn't belong on the street," said Hagan.

"There is not a day, an hour goes by that it doesn't cross my mind," said Burton.

The families affected are still struggling to understand why there have been no arrests and why so many killers are walking free.

"We have to keep working at it. And we have to keep doing all we can to get these violent offenders off the street because they are not going to stop," said Comm. Ramsey.

The Philadelphia Police Department has an ongoing $20,000 reward for tips that result in a conviction for any homicide in the city.

Anyone with information on any crime is asked to call the anonymous tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477).

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Action News Investigation, philadelphia, shooting, homicide, special report, special reports, wendy saltzman

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