Community members joined forces on March 9 in New River to mourn and demand justice for Lisa Mancuso, a 43-year-old jogger tragically killed in a hit-and-run incident. Mancuso was a beloved wife and mother and was near completing her run when she was fatally struck on February 24, only 300 yards from her home, according to AZ Family.
The vehicle suspected in the incident, a grey Ford F-250, is reportedly registered to a member of the law enforcement community. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has yet to make an arrest, and the Mancuso family continues to search for closure. "It’s a huge rollercoaster. It’s really hard on my nephew. He lost his mom, he’s 11 years old," Tim Mancuso, Lisa's brother-in-law, told AZ Family.
The community has shown their support by raising over $20,000 as a reward for information leading to an arrest. The MCSO confirmed that the vehicle was not stolen, sparking further frustration amongst neighbors. "This would have been way easier if you would have just stayed on the scene. It would have for everybody," Tim Mancuso stated in the same FOX 10 Phoenix interview.
At a memorial service, attendees remembered Lisa as a protective "mama bear" who cherished her family deeply. "A beautiful woman lost her life. A young man lost his wife. A little boy lost his mom. A mother lost her daughter," Tim Mancuso said during the tribute, as quoted by FOX 10 Phoenix. Neighbors and community members, including Jon Ritzheimer, are calling for an arrest and are asking for those responsible to step forward. Ritzheimer told FOX 10 Phoenix, "My message to the kids that were involved allegedly is, ‘Come forward, show that you have morality and integrity to still walk among us in society’."
An upcoming memorial is being planned along Cloud Road to honor Lisa, and a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to aid her family during this trying time.
