Victims' families plead for witnesses to come forward

Rochester police say less than half of 2007’s homicides have been solved. Investigators and victims’ family members blame witnesses unwilling to come forward.

“Please help them out,” said Charnette Grayson. “Somebody out there knows who killed my sister, please tell us anything!"

Three months after her sister's death, Grayson still hopes witnesses will come forward to help solve the homicide case. Her sister, Latasha Shaw, 36, was stabbed to death September 29 this year. It was a crime that sparked outrage in the community. There were allegedly several people who witnessed the crime, but no arrests have been made.

“The night has a thousand eyes and when we show up it's hear no of, speak no of and see no of,” said Captain Lynde Johnston. “Somebody out there knows exactly who did the stabbing and they're not telling us."

Police say Shaw's homicide is one of 48 this year. What is even more alarming - it's one of 28 cases that remains unsolved, and police blame lack of cooperation from witnesses.

“It’s just a matter of getting the physical evidence or that eye witness,” said Rochester Police Chief David Moore. “That evidence is more important, but the witness puts us in the ballpark."

Investigators say 10 to 15 years ago, the closure rate was much higher at around 85 percent.  They say that's because more people came forward then. Today, police say "no snitching" policies plague city streets and leave victims' families begging for answers.        

“We keep getting nicknames, and we don't want nicknames,” Grayson said. “We want people's names, so if the community can help us please give us a call.”