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A decade after her son was shot and killed in Longview, Sheila Blankenship waits for answers.

On March 3, 2015, 21-year-old Da'Coreyan Blankenship性视界传媒檚 body was found in the middle of the street in the 800 block of Aurel Avenue. He was one of 14 homicides in Longview in 2015, one of the deadliest years the city has seen.

Blankenship性视界传媒檚聽killer hasn性视界传媒檛 been found. But his family remains hopeful that people who know what happened that night will come forward and tell the truth.

性视界传媒淚 want justice for my son,性视界传媒� said his mother, Sheila Blankenship. 性视界传媒淎nd not just my son聽性视界传媒� his son.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒楬e was real sweet性视界传媒�

On Friday, Sheila Blankenship and some of her relatives gathered in front of the home near where Da性视界传媒機oreyan性视界传媒檚 body was found. Archila Richardson, one of his cousins, stuck a bouquet of blue and yellow flowers in the ground. Blue balloons waved in the wind above them.

The blue and yellow hues stood in stark contrast to the gray, cloudy sky overhead聽性视界传媒� just like how Da性视界传媒機oreyan性视界传媒檚 colorful life was a light for folks around him.

Blankenship graduated from Longview High School in 2011 and was a Lobo football player. He was on the school power lifting team, too. He excelled in his academics as a member of the school性视界传媒檚 program for gifted and talented students, and he had a good sense of humor.

He was a sharp-dressed man with swagger. At his graduation, he wore a black suit with a bright orange shirt and shoes.

性视界传媒淵ou could pick him out of the entire class,性视界传媒� cousin Shaquincy Watts said.

Though a young man, he had an old soul and was something of a family patriarch, Richardson said. She called him "Superman," but not for the reason one might think. When he was a boy, he was hit by a car in front of his grandmother性视界传媒檚 house. He rolled over the car and landed on the ground unscathed, she said.

性视界传媒淗e did give us some scares,性视界传媒� Richardson said.

Most of all, he had a heart full of love. He was a caring father to his 2-year-old son, D性视界传媒橝idan, and a devoted son. He took his mother out for dinner every Thursday after he got his paycheck.

性视界传媒淚 always remember that smile,性视界传媒� Sheila Blankenship said.

性视界传媒淗e was real sweet,性视界传媒� said his great aunt, Carlene Watts. 性视界传媒淚f you're having a bad day, he always had to joke and play with you to brighten up your spirit.性视界传媒�

'Some type of setup'

The family knows little about what happened the night of March 3, 2015. A woman found Blankenship性视界传媒檚 body in the street, and he died at Longview Regional Medical Center that night.

Family members have some ideas about what happened. They even believe they know who the killer is 性视界传媒� but the evidence is hard to come by.

"I felt like it was some type of setup. It was a conspiracy against Da'Coreyan, like somebody baited him over here,性视界传媒� Richardson said. 性视界传媒淗e wasn't alone when he came over here. He didn't drive over here.性视界传媒�

Though the case hasn性视界传媒檛 been solved, witnesses have come forward and spoken about what they saw that night. They性视界传媒檝e told the family that Blankenship was running along the street as if he were being chased, Richardson said.

Family members said they believe police haven性视界传媒檛 thoroughly investigated all the tips and information they性视界传媒檝e received or used all the investigative resources available to solve the case.

LaDarian Brown, Longview Police Department spokesman, said the case remains active and that there haven性视界传媒檛 been any new developments.

The reason for Blankenship性视界传媒檚 murder isn性视界传媒檛 clearly known聽性视界传媒� at least to his family.

"I feel that his murder was really rooted in jealousy," Richardson said. "If he ever got into a fight, he didn't lose. He was very strong, physically and mentally. He was good academically. Da'Coreyan was smart.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淚 could never understand why somebody would take his life,性视界传媒� Blankenship said. 性视界传媒淗e never bothered anybody.性视界传媒�

'I will get that phone call'

The Blankenship family knows the pain of loss聽性视界传媒� and, worst of all, loss without an answer. Blankenship is one of five family members who have been killed but whose killers have never been found, Richardson said. One relative, Jeremy Willis, was killed in December 2021 near the same area where Blankenship was killed.

The year 2015 was filled with loss for the Blankenship family. Richardson性视界传媒檚 grandmother died about a month before Blankenship was killed. Da'Coreyan spoke at the funeral, urging his family to love one another at all times and remain close. He asked for everyone to forgive him if he had ever done them wrong.

性视界传媒淚t just聽seemed ironic because he was the next funeral we were at,性视界传媒� Richardson said.

Sheila Blankenship uses one word to describe the past 10 years of her life: 性视界传媒淎wful.性视界传媒�

The first four after her son was killed were the hardest. She性视界传媒檚 had nightmares about the night of his death.

性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 been rough,性视界传媒� she said. 性视界传媒淏ut God has kept me.性视界传媒�

She cleaves to her son性视界传媒檚 favorite Bible verse, Philippians 4:13: 性视界传媒淚 can do all things through Him who strengthens me.性视界传媒�

His family members took to heart his advice about being there for one another. They recognize that tragedy can tear a family apart quickly, but they refuse to allow that to happen.

"We have to stand together even though he's gone聽性视界传媒� even if we never find closure, we never know who did this,性视界传媒� Shaquincy Watts said. 性视界传媒淏ut at the end of the day, he was loved, and we all know that he has a wonderful family who loved him. He has family who loves his son. That's the thing that he left behind for us, and that's like his mom. We take care of her. We have to. Seeing her smile聽性视界传媒� that brightens our day.

"It kind of throws a shadow over the family, and you gotta find that love to break through it.性视界传媒�

Blankenship is the legal guardian of Da性视界传媒機oreyan性视界传媒檚 12-year-old son, D性视界传媒橝idan. These days, he性视界传媒檚 asking hard questions that she doesn性视界传媒檛 have an answer for: Why did someone kill his dad? Will his father性视界传媒檚 killer ever be found?

性视界传媒淚 don性视界传媒檛聽know what happened that night,性视界传媒� Blankenship said. 性视界传媒淏ut there性视界传媒檚 somebody out there that does know, and I just wish they would speak up and tell the truth.性视界传媒�

Amid the darkness, though, the family sees some light. D性视界传媒橝idan, they say, shows many of the characteristics that they loved about his father.

His mother still has hope for this, she said: 性视界传媒淥ne day, I will get that phone call.性视界传媒�