Family seeks answers one year after Westwood teenager was shot

It’s been nearly a year since 19-year-old Emanuel Hayes was shot and killed in Westwood. His family is demanding answers and asking anyone who knows what happened to come forward. Investigators say it happened just before June 2023 around 5 p.m. on Erlene Drive. Officials said an 18-year-old man and 19-year-old Hayes were both shot in that incident. The 18-year-old survived. Hayes died. “He was my angel,” Hayes’ mother Rebecca Hayes said. Now his loved ones wish they could turn back time and hear his voice again. “It’s been almost a year and there is no justice. None. I have no information except where my son was shot,” Rebecca Hayes said. “All I know is I got a call saying we needed to go to the hospital and that’s exactly what I did.” Almost a year later, there is no closure. Just memories. “I loved Emanuel. He was my grandson. He lived with me since he was almost three years old. He was like my son,” Hayes’ grandmother Cheryl Hayes said. Police told WLWT that no one has been arrested in this case. The investigation is ongoing. His grandmother hopes that changes soon. “All I know about it is that all his money is gone and he’s dead,” Cheryl Hayes said. As this family prepares to mark one year since Hayes’ murder, they hope justice will one day be served. “Everything in the dark eventually comes to light, so no matter how big the secret is, no matter what it really is, eventually, given time, it will eventually come out,” Rebecca Hayes said. If you have any information about this crime, Cincinnati police are asking the public to call the Homicide Unit at 513-352-3542 or CrimeStoppers at 513-352-3040.