CHESAPEAKE, Va. — It's been 365 days of silence for Tiquan Smith's family; that's how long it's been since someone shot and killed him on South Military Highway in Chesapeake on November 20, 2022.
Smith's mother, Sharon Barnes, wanted answers the second she learned of her son's death last year.
All she knew, she said, was that Smith was on the phone with his girlfriend while in the car when she said she heard him say a car turned around on the roadway. He got worried, and then she said the call went silent.
Barnes and her husband, Kenneth, have searched tirelessly for hints on what happened, like asking detectives to look at nearby security camera footage from businesses on the roadway. However, Chesapeake Police still haven't formally made an arrest in this case.
At the site where Smith's car crashed on the side of the road now lies a cross, flowers, a Chargers football — his favorite team — and blue balloons in his memory.
"Then my daughter, my family and I came out and we put 'Ti Ti' on the fence, because today marks one year," Sharon Barnes said to 13News Now at the site, pointing to where they displayed his name.
Barnes described her son as the "center piece" of their family. She said he would do anything for others, such as lend his car or offer money for assistance. The last thing she expected was for someone to hurt her him.
"This is my first child. I had him when I was 18... and we grew up together. We miss him and love him," Sharon said as her eyes teared up and she held her husband tight. "...and I don't understand how somebody could do this to him. Because he would never do this to anybody."
An investigation revealed there was a bullet hole in the driver's side window, and other evidence led police to believe that Smith was shot while driving.
The police spokesman said he died on the scene and that officers did not find anyone else in the car.
Kenneth and Sharon said they still haven't heard much from detectives, despite their frequent calls. They said they want people to understand, from their perspective, how devastating this situation has been to their family. They hope that they will motivate others to help find answers.
"There's technology we can use to look into this more," Kenneth Barnes said. "We need y'all [Chesapeake Police] to get out and help us solve this."
Sharon Barnes nodded in agreement, saying, "We don't want the case to go cold. We just want answers... yeah, we just want answers."
13News Now reached out to Chesapeake Police for the latest updates regarding their investigation. The police spokesperson said he forwarded our inquiry to the lead detective, but it's unclear when we might hear back.
If you know anything that can help the police, call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or submit an anonymous online tip by clicking here.