Candlelight Vigil Held For Man Who Dreamed Of Being A Police Officer

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A candlelight vigil was held Thursday evening in South Los Angeles for a man who dreamed of being a police officer.

Friends and family of Marcus Rogers are mourning the man shot to death on March 5th.

Rogers was attending school to become a police officer. Police said after he was shot and dumped from a vehicle, he was left under a tree to die.

Rogers' friends and family are praying the killers turn themselves in.

"I know we all have to go at one time or another but he was just 24-years-old, he hadn't even started his life yet," said Rogers' mother Charayll Walker.

LAPD detectives say security videos reveal that Rogers was in a dark colored SUV before he was dumped.

Officials have no evidence and no witnesses.  In a rare move, they helped organize the vigil.

"We're interested in using whatever means necessary to get justice for Marcus," said Detective Tom Eiman of the LAPD.

A heart condition kept Rogers from full time employment but his family says he was close to getting his bachelor's degree in criminal justice.

They stress that he wasn't in a gang and had dreams of being a police officer.

His girlfriend said his most important role was father to their 15-month-old son.

"I gotta be strong for my son and I know that Marcus wouldn't want to see me hurting like that," said girlfriend Jamesha Myles.

Rogers' family is hoping someone will recognize the SUV and call police.

"All I can do is show my son pictures and talk about [Marcus]. But I really don't know what to say," Myles said.

Police say they're looking for either a dark colored newer model Jeep Cherokee or an older model BMW X5.