A Clovis family calls for justice after the gruesome death of a 22-year-old man. David Vasquez was stabbed to death one week ago. It happened near Geary and Matus in southeast Fresno. Monday, friends and family gathered at Courthouse Park to call attention to the unsolved case.
Two days after hearing their son had been killed, Fresno Police gave family more bad news. The person arrested, was let out of jail.
Circling the fountain and canvassing Courthouse Park; friends and family of David Vasquez called for answers in an unsolved case. The 22-year-old was stabbed to death December 29th outside a southeast Fresno home.
"We just want answers. We don't want this case to fall through the cracks," said Bexy Osmond, the victim's sister.
Osmond is one of Vasquez's five siblings. She says a 23-year-old man was arrested the day after the incident, but was released a day later. Charges were never filed. Investigators now tell her that he former suspect was defending himself.
"I don't understand how it could have been self defense because the fight was with another individual. Self defense to me is, 'I'm protecting myself,'" said Osmond.
The alleged victim and suspect have clean records. Those who knew Vasquez say he was a Christian. They describe him as childlike and generous.
"He wouldn't let anyone get hurt, he wouldn't let anyone go hungry. Just a kind, loving person," said Tasha Chatman-McCoy, a family friend.
Vasquez's mother doesn't speak English, but family says she's inconsolable after losing her youngest child. Osmond wonders if busy detectives are doing all they can to solve the case. She says an investigator missed an appointment with them last week. They waited seven hours.
"We had 15 people ready to give statements and it's like they weren't listening. That's when we decided to take action," said Osmond.
Fresno Police submitted the case to the District Attorney, but the District Attorney gave it back to police. The DA's office did not tell CBS47 why the case was returned. Police say the case is still open.