Gretchen Perham
Plastic Flowers and tattered ribbons are all that remain of the roadside memorial where Gretchen Perham was found almost two years ago.
Her mother Kim visits the site every month around the 13th, the day Gretchen died.
"I have dreams, sometimes bad ones, thinking about that day.
Kim Perham
So, it's kind of hard," said Kim Perham.
Since May 2005, Investigators haven't been able to find the teen's killer. At this point, they don't have any leads. That lack of closure, she said, adds new emotions to her thought process.
"I don't come here to celebrate. I come here because I'm pissed, and I'm angry, and I'm mad," said Kim Perham.
Perham said she hasn't heard anything about the case in more than a year.
It'll be two years in May since the body of a 14-year-old girl was found along Mount Hope Drive in Albany. Gretchen Perham was on her way to Hackett Middle School when she was stabbed to death. Since then, the police haven't been able to link her murder to anyone. The lack of closure has made her family wonder if the district attorney's office let the case go cold. Ken Jubie has our update.
Her lawyer blames the district attorney's office, saying it cared more about the Christopher Porco murder trial.
"Not to take anything away from that crime, but this is so much more serious. This was a random act of violence against a child," said attorney John Aretakis.
"This office was in full swing in prosecuting cases that needed to be prosecuted. We did not shut the operation down to prosecute one individual," said Albany County District Attorney David Soares.
Aretakis said the girl's race has also played a role.
"Had this been a white child, then maybe the police and the District Attorney and the politicians would have taken this more
David Soares
seriously," Aretakis said.
"That's an outrageous statement. A statement that is so, it's not even worthy of delving into with Mr. Aretakis," Soares said.
Soares said his office is still working on solving the murder.
"When we do have a suspect, rest assured that this office will commit its resources to bringing that individual to justice as well," Soares said.
John Aretakis
Everyone involved in the case said bringing Gretchen Perham's killer to justice is the best way to put her family's mind at ease and allow her to rest in peace. At this point, it's anybody's guess if that will ever happen.