INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Exactly one year since her son’s murder, an Independence woman is pleading for anyone with information to come forward and help solve the case.
The family of 22-year-old Corey Laykovich had a balloon release and candlelight vigil Sunday night in hopes of sparking fresh leads for detectives.
Laykovich returned home from a night out with friends around 3 a.m. back on July 27, 2013, according to Independence police. They said his brother was home and heard strange breathing noises coming from Laykovich’s room.
When his brother went inside, police said he found Laykovich had been stabbed in the neck and through his liver. Corey later died from his injuries.
One year later, police have yet to arrest anyone, which Laykovich’s mother, Michelle Metje, described as the most unsettling feeling.
“It’s the fact that the person is still out there,” Metje said. “They’re still in our community. They’re still out there where they can do this to someone else because obviously if you have the ability to kill one person, you have the ability to kill two.”
“We’re hoping that this will get someone to come forward and to say, ‘you know, this kid, his whole family, they deserve answers,” she said. “They deserve the closure.'”
Police said they’ve had about eight strong leads since Laykovich’s murder, but nothing that resulted in an arrest.
Kansas City CrimeStoppers said they have $8,000 set aside for information leading to an arrest in this case. If you know anything, give them a call at (816) 474-8477(TIPS).