In the fall of 2016, as was my usual habit (and still is), my dogs woke me up about 5am for me to let them out in the backyard to go potty. I let them out the backdoor, make a pot of coffee, grab a cup when ready, and then go sit on my back deck and watch the dogs and drink my coffee while listening to the news on the radio.
My back deck and yard look across the back alley to a government agency building (I live in the city) where I can see the back door, which is also the employee entrance. As per usual I noticed an employee arrive to work (his usual time, per my observations in the past) walk past the door, and towards the opposite end of the building, toward the parking area.
Three minutes later, I hear a gun shot.
Unfortunately, hearing gun shots is a common occurrence here. Not necessarily at 5:50am though. So, I guess I wasn't too surprised to hear sirens just a few minutes later. I went back inside after about five minutes, and started my day.
Later that day, I read that a person (a well known neighbor who often was seen out walking at all hours, nice person, no criminal history) had been shot and killed just two blocks from my house. After reading the news report, the timing made it clear that I had heard that fatal shot. The victim was discovered deceased on the sidewalk by a gentleman who had seen a man fleeing the scene with a particular description that could resemble the employee I had seen just a few minutes before I heard the gun shot. That person had been walking toward where the victim was found, and could possibly (elapsed walking time) have witnessed, known something, or even have been the killer IMO.
I called in what I had seen to the tip line. Never heard anything back from anyone. The murder is still unsolved. I often wonder if my tip ever made it to an investigator. I have called twice more over than last almost three years, and have never heard back from anyone to follow up.
My point is, maybe the guy I saw had nothing to do with the murder, but that whole morning is indelible in my mind, even though what I saw happened prior to the murder. I think because that morning later became associated with such a horrific crime, the details of that morning have stuck with me all this time. I think LE is hoping someone saw something that day that seemed ordinary, but because such a heinous crime was committed later that day, even the ordinary is indelible for them, for example a car parked at the DCS lot, and that person can provide valuable seemingly mundane details, that will lead to the killer.
Long post, sorry, but wanted to share a perspective of how one's memory can hang on to seemingly small details. I purposely did not share those here in this post because I am still hoping that what I observed may help to bring answers to this person's family and friends.
