Almost ten years after her daughter was gunned down during an attempted robbery, the waiting has not stopped for Memphis mother Debbie Golden. Her daughter, Marnesha Scales, was just days from turning 18 when she was killed on September 27, 2016, leaving behind a 1-year-old daughter. The family says the pain has not faded, and they are counting on renewed attention to finally shake loose new information.
What investigators say
According to WREG, deputies say Scales and two friends drove out to meet someone near Arbor Lake and Hedgewall Circle when three men tried to rob them. One of the men pulled a gun and shot Scales multiple times. Paramedics rushed her to a hospital, where she did not survive. Detectives say they have kept the case open over the years and are now questioning a person of interest.
Mother's plea
"I've been waiting. I've been patient. I've been praying. I just want closure," Golden told WREG. She added that investigators "will never quit investigating until justice is brought to this person." Even so, the family knows the case will only move if someone decides to speak up, and they continue to push for tips.
Family pushes for leads
In the aftermath of the shooting, relatives raised money and launched a GoFundMe to build a reward and keep the case in the public eye, according to reporting by Action News 5. The family has urged anyone who may have seen or heard anything that night to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
How to help
Anyone with information about Scales' killing is asked to contact Memphis & Shelby County Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH (528-2274). According to the organization's contact page, tips can be submitted anonymously, and tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward. The Crime Stoppers site also offers a secure online tip form and lists current open investigations at Crime Stoppers.
A wider problem
Scales' case is a painful example of how long some homicide investigations can stretch on and how families are left waiting for answers. National reporting has shown that thousands of killings in major U.S. cities in recent years did not result in arrests, underscoring the challenges police departments face in closing cases. The Washington Post has examined that trend in depth.
Golden says her family will not stop pushing until someone is held accountable, and she continues to wear a photo of Marnesha as a daily reminder of the daughter she lost. Anyone with information is urged again to call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH so investigators can move the case closer to the answers this family has waited years to hear.
