Nearly one year after an Edmonton man was fatally beaten with baseball bats, his family is pleading with the public to come forward with information in the case.
Kelly Thompson, 34, died two days after he was critically injured on April 14, 2016, in an attack in the area of 137 Street and 115 Avenue. Police said four or five suspects wearing dark clothes and hoods got out of a vehicle, hit the man several times with baseball bats and then left the scene in a vehicle.
Edmonton police have yet to solve his death.
READ MORE: Man beaten with baseball bats dies in hospital; Edmonton’s 15th homicide of 2016
On Thursday, his mother and sister came forward with an emotional plea, asking anyone with information to contact police.
Linda Linton, Thompson’s mother, said the past year has been very difficult.
“I haven’t been able to leave the house up until a few months ago. I haven’t answered the phone for eight months,” she said, clutching a framed photo of her son. “I can’t sleep, I can’t function.
“A piece of my heart is gone.”
Kim Thompson said the loss of her brother has devastated their entire family.
“Not only have we dealt with his sudden death, but we also have to deal on a daily basis with the absolute horrific events my brother endured in his final moment, and our final moments with him,” she said.
“Kelly was my childhood playmate. The sweet, nurturing brother I grew up with playing in the forest north of Stony Plain; the brother who I caught frogs with to frighten our mom; the brother I spent weeks building forts with was gone.”
An autopsy revealed Thompson died of blunt force trauma to the head. His sister said Thursday she’s “absolutely convinced” there is someone out there with information about her brother’s death.
“Someone who has been living with this information, who one year later, may be ready to come forward to police or call Crime Stoppers anonymously. I would ask that you stop for one moment and consider our pain, consider what it would be like to lose your brother, or your son, so suddenly and so violently,” she said.
“These people didn’t just take one person’s life — they destroyed many lives.”
Thompson’s death was ruled Edmonton’s 15th homicide of 2016.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.
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