Police, community members and the families of four people killed in Troy over the Christmas holiday are asking for help from the public. Here's the latest on the investigation into the quadruple homicide.
Found dead were 5-year-old Shanise Myers, 11-year-old Jeremiah Myers, their 36-year-old mother Shanta Myers and her partner, 22-year-old Brandi Mells. Relatives of the Lansingburgh family reportedly hadn't heard from any of the victims since late last week. Shakira Symes, sister of victim Shanta Myers, told WNYT she had been trying to get a hold of her sister for three days. "We were supposed to spend Christmas together. So when I got a phone call on Tuesday and they said, ‘Shakira, did you see the news?’ I said no, what's on the news.’"
The story has made international headlines, reminding many of the still unsolved quadruple murder of a family in nearby Guilderland in 2014.
The advice from police to public is also similar: Troy Police Chief John Tedesco said earlier this week there is no risk of imminent danger because the victims appear to have been targeted. "We do not believe it was a random act, we do not believe there is any imminent danger to the community."
Tedesco added that he has "never seen savagery like this."
As the investigation moves forward, Symes and other family members are hoping for a break in the case. 2 "Everybody in this community is responsible to do their part. You have no idea how many details they may already have and that small detail that you think is too small to make a difference might be the piece to the puzzle."
John Salka is Troy's Deputy Director of Public Information: "The city is urging anyone with information pertaining to this tragic incident to contact the Troy Police Department immediately. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by visiting CapitalRegionCrimeStoppers.com - the public's assistance is greatly important and will help the Troy Police Department and their partner agencies in this investigation."
Again, Chief Tedesco: "There's not a resource that we won't tap, be it in the city or wherever we need to get it. This will be a full court press, if you will, until we bring someone to justice."
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family to pay for funeral services and help 15-year-old Isaiah Smith, sole survivor of the massacre. Smith told WRGB he was away in Massachusetts when he learned his mother, brother, and sister were among the victims, and now fears that whoever killed them will come looking for him.
Victory Christian Church of Albany is offering a $10,000 reward for information that may lead to an arrest and conviction in the case.
The Charlotte Observer reports Shanta Myers had lived in several apartments in Charlotte in the 2000s, and references Facebook posts that say the father of Myers’ children lives in Charlotte. A school official tellssyracuse.com that Brandi Mells attended 9th, 10th and 11th grade at West Genesee High School and was part of the class of 2013, but did not return for her senior year.
