The parents of murdered teenager Kennie Carter have urged anyone with information about their son's death to 'do the right thing' and help bring his killer to justice.
Kennie, 16, was stabbed to death as he walked home on Thirlmere Avenue in Stretford on January 22, 2022. Twelve teenagers, aged 13 to 18, have so far been arrested in connection with Kennie's murder, but none have been charged.
Read more:
On Friday Greater Manchester Police offered a £50,000 reward for information that helps catch the killer or killers. In a video appeal released today (Sunday) to mark the first anniversary of his death, Kennie's parents Joan Dixon and Glen Carter called on witnesses to come forward and help police.
Joan said: "We're a year on and we've had no closure. There must be somebody out there with just even a small bit of information that may help.
"If you do have any information, please just do the right thing. You can imagine if it was your child how heart-breaking it would be not to have your son there every day. It rips you apart.
"So if anybody has just got the slightest bit of information, anything, even if you don't think it's anything, it might be a little missing piece that the police need. And they need help and we need somebody to come forward and do the right thing for Kennie.
"He was a good lad, he deserves justice. He should still be here."
At a press conference held at Stretford police station, about a mile away from where the incident took place, on Friday morning (January 20), GMP said they are making progress on their investigation but need the 'added pieces to the jigsaw' to get justice.
Det Chief Insp Alicia Smith, from GMP's Major Investigation Team, said: "This is a long and meticulous investigation, through which we have spoken to over 100 people, reviewed over 100 hours of CCTV and carried out dozens of warrants. We have also arrested all of the people that we wanted to speak to in connection with this incident.
"I believe we are close to getting justice for Kennie and I am confident that there is someone out there who holds key information about this case who has not yet made themselves known to us. Please don’t assume that we already know the information you hold.
"What you know could be the last piece that we need. I understand you might be scared but I would like to stress that murder investigations are never closed.
"We will never stop seeking the truth and we will not stop until Kennie's killer is safely behind bars. Please do the right thing – clear your conscience, come forwards and tell us what you know."
An inquest opening in August heard Kennie suffered a single stab wound to the chest as he walked home on Thirlmere Avenue. A detective told the hearing the fatal attack appeared 'to have followed a dispute between two groups', and outlined three confrontations that had taken place in the hours before the murder.
Anyone can contact us with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 9908 or 101 quoting incident 2529 of January 22, 2022. Any footage or images from the night should be submitted here.
READ NEXT:
