Garden Grove Family Hopes Detectives Can Solve Cold Case Murder

GARDEN GROVE (CBSLA.com) — A Garden Grove family is hopeful the cold case murder of their son and brother can finally be solved.

Tonight, the family held a candlelight vigil to remember Jarold Wright who was murdered 20 years ago this night.

CBS2 and KCAL9 reporter Stacey Butler was there to talk to family about their continuing quest for justice.

Wright's mom, Gloria Wonder, says, "I miss him today. People say time makes things better. Not this kind of ache. It doesn't get any better, you just learn to keep moving."

Wright was shot and killed as he lay on the couch while watching TV at his uncle's Garden Grove home.

"I miss him more than anything in the whole wide world," says Wright's uncle, William Hopkins. "It was just terrible. Bullets went all over the house."

The loss nearly tore the family apart.

Bonnie Levorson, Wright's sister, explains. "It's been 20 years. To even talk about him  hurts. He's just missed so much."

The candlelight vigil was held tonight -- on the steps of the Garden Grove Police Department -- at the same moment Wright lost his life -- 8:43 p.m.

Police believe Wright, then 19, was the target of a drive-by shooting even though he was not involved in a gang.

The family is still not sure why he was targeted. Detectives couldn't figure it out either. The case went cold.

The family recently received a call from the Garden Grove police. The case was re-opened.

So many years have passed, but the family is still not giving up hope that someone will come forward.

Wright's sister, Tammie Ruvalcaba, says, "I do hold hope that somebody has a conscience. Without hope, there really isn't anything."

On this night 20 years ago, Gloria Wonder lost her only son. She has a message for his killer.

And it's a surprising one. "I totally from the bottom of my heart have already forgiven you," says Wonder, "And I would sit down and talk with you at any time."