DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — It’s been more than a year since Schontal McClary last saw her son; now she talks to him at his gravesite.
“If you met Xavia, you’d love Xavia. Xavia was a six-foot-six baby doll,” McClary told Channel 2’s Michael Doudna.
Last March, Xavia went out to a DeKalb County bar on S. Rainbow Drive to celebrate a friend’s birthday. The police incident report says two men in suits approached one of McClary’s close friends.
The report states they tried talking to the woman before becoming hostile. When Xavia stepped in to defend his friends, he was shot in the chest.
“I’m not mad at him for doing what everybody should do because he was not a coward and he did what was right,” McClary said.
Since the shooting, the investigation has been slow. So far, there have been no arrests and no justice.
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“It’s just a continual cycle of devastation, of outrage, of frustration,” McClary said.
However, this month, there is some new hope. Crimestoppers is now offering a $5,000 reward for anonymous tips. Police also released three photos of people of interest, and investigators are seeking a beige Chevrolet Tahoe or Suburban with black rims and an aftermarket exhaust.
“Someone saw something, someone heard something, and someone’s been told something at this point,” McClary said.
McClary knows coming forward can be difficult, but tips can be anonymous, and the alternative of doing nothing is much worse.
“The fear should be the fact that we’re letting people get away with murder. That should be the fear, not the fear of retaliation for coming forward,” McClary said.
For now, McClary prays that someone will help a grieving mother by bringing justice and peace to a family.
“I’m very proud of my son, but I miss him so much. But the people who murdered him will come to justice at some point. That’s what I would say to him. That’s the conversation we have at his grave,” McClary said.
If you know anything, you can submit a tip to Crimestoppers by calling 404-577-TIPS (8477), visit www.crimestoppersatlanta.org, or text “CSGA” to 738477 plus your tip.
You can also call the DeKalb County police department at 770-724-7850.
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