It’s been 11 years since Laura MacDonald’s son was murdered but many days the pain still feels fresh.
“There will always be a void,” MacDonald said. “You can’t fill that.”
MacDonald’s son Adam Fettes was murdered in his basement suite in West Kelowna’s Lakeview Heights area on Sept. 10, 2006. His car – a black, four-door sedan – was taken from the crime scene and later found in the parking lot of Bertram Creek Park across Okanagan Lake.
No one has ever been arrested in connection to the murder.
“It makes me psycho, absolutely psycho that there are persons out there who butchered him and are still running free,” MacDonald said.
Fettes was involved in the drug scene and known to police. MacDonald makes no bones about it, saying her son lived a risky lifestyle but didn’t deserve to die.
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“That doesn’t mean his murder is any less important,” MacDonald said. “Everyone needs to do their best to solve this because this is not just my emotional instability behind this but there is someone out there who can do it again.”
On the 11th anniversary of her son’s death, MacDonald has doubled her reward for any information that leads to an arrest and a conviction to $20,000.
“Somebody knows something; $20,000 to someone may actually encourage them to speak the truth,” she said.
MacDonald told Global News the reward will only be in place until Dec. 31 at 10 p.m.
“Then I’m calling it a day. I am putting that reward to rest because if they haven’t come forward since last year, that’s been over a year, I don’t see it as happening.”
RCMP said the Fettes’ murder is still an open investigation and regardless of his lifestyle, police will continue to investigate the death until those who are responsible are brought to justice.
“He made some real bad choices and you know what, I am paying the price for that,” MacDonald said.
In the meantime, MacDonald is trying to make the best of a difficult situation by starting a local support group for parents who have lost children.
“We have become very close,” MacDonald said. “We have a bond.”
The group of 10 meets on the third Monday night of each month in Kelowna to talk openly about what and how they feel in a non-judgmental home group environment.
Anyone who has lost a child under any circumstances is welcome to join. For more information, you can email grievingokparents@gmail.com