He's appeared on television shows, in advertisements, and he was active in a number of youth organizations but tonight 18-year-old Gerald Duhaney is just another homicide statistic. Police say that Duhaney, who worked at the Ready Call Center, was murdered early Saturday morning and the motive was ten dollars he had on him. Keith Swift has the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
He was an extra in the 'Noh Matta Wat' television show but on Friday night - 18 year old Gerald Duhaney's life was tragically cut short by a bullet.
Deborah Miller, Mother
"That's my baby...I don't know what to do."
Deborah Miller's baby, her youngest child, was found here on Gibnut Street around 3:30 am on Saturday by passers-by.
Deborah Miller,
"They were dropping off somebody by NHI and when she was coming out of the vehicle, the next one said she wanted to urine too. So she hurriedly came out of the vehicle and when they looked, they saw somebody on the ground and they thought maybe this man had caught fits or something so they tried to render assistance but they said they held up his head and everything. They helped him. They were crying like they knew him because they said he was a handsome boy. They helped him."
They called an ambulance and Gerald was taken to the hospital. His mom got the news and she rushed to the hospital but by then, Gerald was dead.
Deborah Miller,
"I reached the hospital at the same time as the ambulance and I went straight into the trauma room. I used to work there for 16 years so as I saw my son on the table in the trauma room I knew he was dead. When I went into the trauma room I saw one little hole on his belly and I didn't see any blood coming so I knew he was dead already. I knew he was dead. I knew he was already dead. I knew my son was already dead. You can ask the world, my son didn't bother with anyone."
And this mother says that is what hurts the most. Miller says that apart from appearing in television shows, Gerald, seen here in a picture with Mayor Zenaida Moya and Queen of the Bay Carrie Wong K, was a youth activist - who was very much active in his community. She says he had no enemies.
Deborah Miller,
"He was a little boy who was with Youth for the Future, BFLA, and he worked. He didn't bother anyone, no one. Everybody loved him, everybody. He was in no gang. From he was small, he and his brother, he didn't even like gangs. He didn't like gangs and those things. He didn't like gangs at all."
So why was Gerald Duhaney killed? Commander of the Criminal Investigations Branch Aaron Guzman says the motive was likely robbery.
Supt. Aaron Guzman,
"It seems to us that the motive for that particular crime seems to be robbery as Mr. Duhaney had only $10 on him as far as we know and obviously it was taken."
Kendra Griffith, News 5
"No jewelry or nothing he had?"
Supt. Aaron Guzman,
"No jewelry, no cellphone. Only his $10 that he had on him was missing."
Miller has posted this tribute to her son on the wall of her living room: it says, "ah nada mada bawling" - and there is a heart next to Gerald's name. That mother bawling is Deborah Miller and in her grief, she has strong words for her son's killer.
Deborah Miller,
"God isn't sleeping and when you do something you can't hide from God, he will catch up with you somehow. They took somebody off the street who was giving to society, who was helping a lotta lotta lotta babies. He used to mine a lotta lotta lotta babies. Some babies are saying Gerald is sick and he will come back to look for them. They are saying he is not dead. All the babies say Gerald will come back when he gets better because they love him bad."
Keith Swift,
But he won't.
Deborah Miller,
"No, he won't come back."
He won't come back - a painful reality for this mother who'll have to remember her son form the "Noh Matter Wat" DVD.
Again, police have suspects who they are questioning, but no charges yet.
