Chicago, Illinois | June 21, 2021
Some mothers spend their lives celebrating their children’s accomplishments.
Others spend their lives searching for the person who took them away.
Lamar B. Drakes’ mother, Dorothy Riles, reached out to The Vivid Faces of the Vanished with one request:
Please don’t let my son’s story be forgotten.
Today, we are honored to help share Lamar’s story in the hope that someone who knows the truth will finally come forward.
A Future Cut Short
On the evening of June 21, 2021, 28-year-old Lamar Drakes was outside his family’s home near West 104th Street and South Eggleston Avenue in Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood.
He was working on his car while also helping care for his sick grandfather.
It was around 8:40 p.m.
According to investigators, a silver Chevrolet Malibu pulled up.
Someone inside opened fire.
Lamar was struck multiple times.
Despite efforts to save his life, he died from his injuries.
More Than a Victim
Lamar was more than another homicide statistic.
He was a devoted son.
A loving brother.
A proud father to a 3-year-old little boy.
He dreamed of following in his mother’s footsteps by becoming a Cook County Sheriff’s Deputy.
In fact, he was scheduled to take his law enforcement examination just two weeks after he was murdered.
Instead of preparing for a career serving and protecting others, his family was forced to prepare for his funeral.
A Family Still Waiting
More than four years later, Lamar’s murder remains unsolved.
His mother has publicly stated that she believes investigators have viable leads and that the person responsible may be hiding outside of Illinois.
Yet despite those beliefs, Lamar’s loved ones say they have grown frustrated by the lack of updates and continue to wait for the justice they believe is long overdue.
Determined not to let his case fade into silence, Lamar’s family is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for his murder.
In his mother’s own words:
“The family of Lamar B. Drakes is offering a $10,000 reward for information regarding his murder. Lamar was a devoted son, brother, and father who was on the path to becoming a Cook County Deputy Sheriff. His loved ones deserve justice.”
Someone knows who pulled the trigger.
Someone knows who was inside that silver Chevrolet Malibu.
And someone has the power to give a little boy the answers he deserves about the father he lost.
Anyone with information regarding the murder of Lamar B. Drakes is urged to contact the Chicago Police Department or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers.
© The Vivid Faces of the Vanished
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