PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — Months after a Petersburg 21-year-old man was shot and killed –a memorial honoring his life mysteriously vanished.
The space behind Saint Paul’s Baptist Church in Petersburg is where Shaun Hankins’ body was found on April 24 — and where a memorial was placed shortly after. Now, it’s empty and his family is demanding answers about why this happened as his case remains unsolved.
“How would you feel if somebody did this to your brothers or son, daughter,” Donna Guernsey, Hankins’ mother said.
Guernsey said not long after the memorial was put up, items that were there to honor her son’s life started disappearing. She recently drove by and saw everything was gone.
“I haven’t done anything to anybody. But I’m the one left here suffering, me and my family,” Guernsey said.
Guernsey said the church has been allowing them to keep the memorial on their property and didn’t remove it. She said the church has two security cameras and she’s waiting to see the footage — and hopefully get some answers about what happened and who could have done this.
“Karma is real. And it’s coming for you,” Guernsey said. “And because you can’t do this kind of thing and expect to live a good life. That just doesn’t happen.”
Hankins’ case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Petersburg Police at 804-732-4222.
