TAMPA, Fla. – A man was murdered in January while using a popular dating app. New video, as well as new details, were released Monday, in this disturbing case where a young man with a bright future lost his life, looking for love.
His mother feels lost, and his family wants answers.
“Dontae was my everything. My baby. He was my sunshine,” said Blanchie Williams. Her eyes welled with tears as she talked about her 25-year-old son, calling him one of the nicest young men you would ever meet.
The family is heartbroken after losing Dontae Lampkins on January 26th. The young man’s body was found in an alley in Seminole Heights. He had been shot 11 times.
The question now – who did this and why?
Documents show that he was using the dating app, Plenty of Fish, as well as the messenger app, KIK.
“It is a tragedy for this family,” said Tampa Police Captain Ruben Delgado. “Like every other app that we see, we see it on Craigslist, people getting robbed. That criminal element that’s going to trying take advantage of someone using the app for the right reasons. That’s why you’ve always got to keep your guard up.”
Dontae’s family is hoping that now that detectives have released new surveillance footage of their son, along with new details, that someone will come forward.
Police believe that the 25-year-old was most likely murdered by someone he met on Plenty of Fish. Investigators even shared a police sketch with media members.
Dontae’s mother has a message for her son’s killer.
“He has no heart, no soul, you know, for him to just be out there. He needs to turn himself in,” she said. “You know, we know that nothing can bring him back. We just want justice done. I miss everything about him. He brought out the best in me.”
There is a $3000 reward in the case for anyone whose tip leads to an arrest. The young man’s family believes that this was a hate crime. However, Tampa police tell us that they need to make an arrest first before they make that determination.WHAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON-
- Casey Anthony speaks for the first time about daughter Caylee’s death
- Inspectors find 4 skimmers in Pinellas during pre-Spring Break sweep
- Margaritaville King Jimmy Buffett launches Fla. retirement village
- PHOTOS: 13 ft. long gator pulled from Ocala swimming area
- 97-year-old twins freeze to death after falling outside
- Pasco man shares amazing story about 370 lb. weight loss on social media, internet
- Motorcyclist dies after hitting deer in Citrus County
- PHOTOS: Surgeons remove 915 coins swallowed by Thai sea turtle