Roy Mattox, aged 39, was walking on South Gordon Road when a vehicle struck him and fled the scene, leaving a family to pick up the pieces of a life taken too soon. Described as more than a victim, Mattox was a loving father, son, and brother whose absence has created an immeasurable void.
Tia Friday, Mattox's sister, struggles to comprehend the callousness that led to her brother's tragic death. “I can only imagine his last moments. I can only imagine my brother's last moments or his last thoughts,” Friday told 11Alive. As Mattox's eldest daughter pulls at heartstrings, stating, “It’s really traumatic for me because I didn't think that something like that would happen to my father,” the community and the authorities are asked to gather, to rally in the search for justice and answers.
Cobb County Police's appeal for information about the incident carries with it a hope of closure, a plea for any witnesses to step forward. The family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses, facing the stark reality of burial costs amidst their mourning. Mattox's uncle, Donnie Mattox, expressed the family's perception of the heinous act to FOX 5 Atlanta, saying, “That’s not an accident. To me, that’s murder.”
Rosibel Ordonez, a resident near the scene, recounted to 11Alive the chilling moment she learned of the tragedy. Her granddaughter and boyfriend, upon hearing the crash, discovered Mattox, but no perpetrator was in sight. "Oh my God! I was scared!" Ordonez shared her immediate reaction, reflecting a community shaken by the brutality of the accident.
The search for the hit-and-run driver continues. Anyone with information is urged to come forward.
