27 September 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – September 30, 2023, will mark one year since Keith Gaylord Jr. was shot and killed at the Meadowlark apartments in Topeka.
The people who love him are still remembering him as another year of pain goes on and another year of heartache. For his mom Tracy Jones, if there’s one thing for sure, she says he will never be forgotten and that his voice will continue to travel through her.
Keith Gaylord Jr. was known as Keithy by his friends and family; he was more than a son to his mom Tracy Jones and his family. Keith was a brother, a nephew, an uncle and an entrepreneur. He’s loved by so many who say he was taken too soon.
“When my son died, my child that I carried for nine months, that I raised by myself for 23 years, when my son dies, yes I died, but they just forgot to bury me,” Jones said.
Nearly a year later the case is still wide open. Today and every day, frustration and heartache build for Jones and her family.
“I don’t want my son to be a statistic,” Jones said. “I’m his voice, he has no voice no more. I’m going to be my son’s voice. And people out there know… you guys know who killed my son, you know this. And I plead and I beg you to give me some closure.”
Police are still looking for who did this, a promise that was made to Jones when she lost her son.
“It will be a whole year September 30th, this weekend,” Jones said. “Detective Green, I have faith in him. He gave me a promise a year ago that he will solve this.”
Until the murder suspect is found and well after that, Jones wants her son to be remembered for who he was and who he was going to be.
“Kind, loving, a big heart, a big heart, the smile,” Jones said. “I want his smile to be remembered because he had a smile and a twinkle in his eyes, I mean that smile just melted your heart.”
To keep Keith’s legacy and his spirit alive, the family is organizing a one-year remembrance in his honor.
“It’s gonna be about laughter,” Jones said. “Just being surrounded around loved ones, all his friends, you know great food, games, you know a bittersweet for one year that he’s been gone.”
27 News reached out to District Attorney Michael Kagay in regard to this case. He says while this remains an ongoing investigation, they need the public’s help. If anyone has information that could be useful to this investigation call Crimestoppers or the D.A.’s office.