COLORADO SPRINGS — A daughter is doing everything she can to get answers for her mother, who was shot and killed in Colorado Springs earlier this year.
The first homicide investigation in 2021 for the Colorado Springs Police Department began on January 23. At 5:25 in the morning, a call came in about a shooting at the Thrive at Elevation Apartments. When officers arrived, they found 35-year-old Ebonyneke Futrell, who was pronounced dead in the parking lot. "There was a disturbance in that parking lot involving multiple people, and during that disturbance, the victim, Ebonyneke Futrell, was shot," said Detective Rebecca Joines of the Colorado Springs Police Department.
The initial release regarding the investigation indicated there were two groups connected to the disturbance. Police believe an unknown suspect shot a gun at least once, hitting Ebonyneke Futrell.
Detective Joines said they believe Ebonyneke Futrell knew some of the people involved in the disturbance. She's asking for witnesses, or anyone with information, to come forward about this case. "It's been quite a few months, and if I'm feeling this frustrated, I know her family and her friends are feeling one hundred times more frustrated," said Detective Joines.
"My mom's case, I don't want it to go cold."
News5 spoke with one of Ebonyneke Futrell's children, Emerald, about the case. Emerald said her mother was a hard worker, who had a laugh like no one else. "She just cared about people... When we would bring new friends in, everybody would call her mom. And, she just was that type of person. She just gave her love to everybody," said Emerald.
Emerald recounted the day she got the call about her mother's murder. "They told me about what happened... Your mom was involved in a shooting, she got hit, and she's gone, type of thing. And, it just felt like my whole world crashed around me... I felt lost... I've been really emotional. I go to sleep crying," said Emerald through tears.
Emerald said they are originally from Oklahoma, and her mom moved the family to Colorado to try and give her children better lives. "My uncle passed away from getting shot in Oklahoma. And so, we wanted just to move away after that, because she got really sad after that, and that was her only sibling," said Emerald.
According to Emerald, her family has been "looking for answers and trying to figure out if we know anybody who was there, if they would just help."
If you know anything about the homicide of Ebonyneke Futrell, even the smallest of details, it could be what investigators need to crack the case and give her children a sense of closure. Individuals who have information about the incident can call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719)444-7000, or remain anonymous by calling the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719)634-STOP(7867).
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Shooting leaves one woman dead in southeast Colorado Springs
