It has been one year since a woman was gunned down on State Route 51 and investigators are still searching for answers.
Dinya Farmer, 49, was shot and killed while driving near the mini-stack on Sept. 7, 2016. Farmer’s sister, Tara, says the family is still desperate to find the shooter.
According to police, Dinya was followed from the area of 7th Avenue and Broadway Road and onto the freeway before she was shot near McDowell and Thomas roads. The woman called 911 and reported that three Hispanic men were following her in a white work-style truck.
A witness told ABC15 that the truck with a ladder attached to the back was seen weaving in and out of traffic before the gunshots went off.
“We don’t have anything,” Tara said. “We don’t know if she was just getting on the freeway and she was a target. We don’t know if there was an argument prior to…we don’t have any information.”
Farmer died at the hospital after she crashed into a freeway median.
Police are still working to determine the motive behind the attack. However, investigators have said circumstances surrounding the shooting don’t appear to be a random act of violence or a traffic dispute.
“To wake up today and think about a year ago — it’s stressful, it’s irritating, it’s frustrating,” Tara said.
"Wherever you are and whoever you are, I believe that justice will be served," said Tara. "I don't know when it's going to be, but I can't imagine you sleeping peacefully at night knowing what you did."
While the pain of her loss runs deep, Farmer's family is trying to hold onto what they loved most about her.
"She gave the best hugs," said Farmer's cousin Stephanie Hasenstab. "Your whole body felt her hug and so I miss that."
A small group, including two of Farmer's daughters, released balloons into the blowing wind.
"We're still strong and we still have each other," said Hasentab. "So we're not broken."
Phoenix Police say they have no new leads on the case. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Silent Witness at 480-Witness.
