AKRON, Ohio — Speaking from her broken heart, Amy Perry shared her pain of losing her older sister, Toni Westover, to gun violence along with a personal message to the person who took Toni away.
"I first off want to say that you are a coward for taking someone who was innocent in all of this," Perry said. "I promise that my family will not stop until justice is served. You took an innocent life and I hope every night when you lay down and close your eyes, you see her beautiful face and what you did haunts you for the rest of your life."
Perry said her sister worked as a medical assistant. She described Toni as a beautiful person inside and out who loved baking, helping others and her 7-year-old daughter.
"It's gonna live with me the rest of my life and then to explain to a 7-year-old daughter why her mother is not coming home and she doesn't understand," Perry said. "She just wants her mom back."
After News 5 began asking questions about the investigation, police confirmed an arrest warrant was issued for Quinton Nixon, 31, of Akron, on August 4. He's charged with Westover's murder, but officers haven't been able to locate him.
On Tuesday, Summit County Crimestoppers offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to Nixon's arrest and indictment.
According to Perry, her older sister went to a home in 2200 block of Maryland Avenue in the Kenmore Neighborhood with another man— her boyfriend— on July 25.
Police said there was some sort of altercation inside the home around 2:30 a.m. and Westover was shot.
A 911 caller stated he was in the bedroom of the upstairs apartment when he heard gunshots coming from the living room. He wasn't clear on exactly what happened.
An operator asked, "Do you know who shot her?" The caller replied, "No."
The operator responded, "Do you know if someone broke in? The man said, "It sounded like it and then I heard some people, they started yelling and I heard gunshots."
The victim was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General where she was pronounced dead.
Lt. Michael Miller said detectives collected evidence, including shell casings, at the crime scene, but a gun was not found.
Miller said several people left the home after the murder, and investigators would still like to talk to those potential witnesses.
"There's always a missing link and that link is if there is somebody in the community that has information," Miller said.
Anyone with information on Nixon's whereabouts is urged to call Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS or text TIPSCO with tips to 274637.
Perry said she will anxiously wait for word on an arrest and for justice for her sister.
"I'm going to make sure who did this is put away and I will get my day in court to tell him how we all feel," Perry said. "We will all get that day."
