The Unsolved Murder of Eric Nelams | A Family’s Fight for Justice

Hi everyone, and welcome back to Case Uncovered, where we uncover the untold stories behind some of the most compelling true crime cases. I'm Johen Rivera and I'm looking forward to bringing you new bi weekly episodes moving forward. Thank you all for being patient with me. As you may know, I'm one of the co founders of Fireeyes Media and we have a ton of new projects happening. Jewels, my business partner, and I have also started a brand new season of true crime and Headlines with Jewels and gen and you can catch me there every week on Tuesdays and Fridays wherever you listen to podcasts. I'm also going to be attending Advocacy Cohn in Indianapolis, Indiana here in the next few weeks. I'll have a booth and we'll also be speaking at the event. I'm really looking forward to meeting some of you as well as some of the amazing families I've had the pleasure of working with, So make sure you come and say hi. If you're attending today, I have a very special episode for you. We're revisiting a case that has haunted a family for nearly two decades, and that's the case of Eric Nelms, a US Army veteran, a devoted father, and a loving husband who was gunned down outside his home in Phoenix City, Alabama. I've had the privilege of working with Eric's sister Kathy for this episode. Anne got to talk with Kathy, her mom, and her children. They were kind enough to share more about Eric and his case, and I'll be including clips of our conversation throughout this episode. September twenty sixth two thousand and three started out just like any other day, but it ended in murder. Eric's family and friends never saw it coming, and twenty years later, they are still left with one haunting question. Who killed Eric Nelms and why? Eric Bernard Nelums was born in nineteen seventy one in Columbus, Georgia, to Annie and Ernest Nelams. Growing up in a large, close knit family, Eric was known for his big heart and even bigger presence. His sister Kathy describes him as small in stature but big in spirit. Eric was a natural athlete, excelling in baseball despite a smaller frame. Kathy shares when Eric played baseball, he hit the ball out of the park. People would underestimate him, but he always rose to the occasion, and that really was the essence of who he was. Eric was much more than an athlete, though. He was the glue that held his family and friends together. He had a special way of making people laugh and feel welcomed. My brother and I are the only children that my mom has. I'm the oldest and he was the youngest. We were so close in the age, like a year and a half, but it feels like it's a year. If I was in the first grade, he was in kindergarten. So we literally did life together. And he was a very nice person. I just don't say that because he's my brother. If he was something other than that, I'd be very transparent to say that. But he was very kind. He was silly and jovial. Whenever he would come around, he would light up a room and just if you're having a bad day, he's gonna do something just to make you laugh, because it's just who he is. He would literally give people his all. He was very popular in school, like he was more popular than I was. They used to refer to me as his little sister, But I also pick so because he was so popular and that's how people viewed us. He was and his fault when he was younger and everybody underestimate his abilities. And when my dad put him in youth baseball, he hit the ball out the park and everybody's like, oh my god, look at him. So that it's like a testament to what type of person he was. Like people always underestimated him, but he always rose to location and that's literally how he lived his life. He would get us together to have barbecues, cookouts, things like that, and it kind of helped our family get together. We miss those moments because it seems like there's a huge part of our life that's missing. So even if we do get together, it still doesn't quite seem right. So it's kind of like bittersweet, but we do have to move on with life. But the void is felt uncle To describe who he was, it's hard to put in words because he meant so much to so many people. He was a father figure, not just for me, but for his step children. Whoever he was with, he treated them as if those were his kids. He always looked out for his friends and his family. He always was the person that congregated the family. So he would have with vents all the time and we would always go to his softball games. He was part of the softball team at his job, and he was literally I never seen him angry. I never seen him sad. He always had a big smile on his face. He loved music. Whenever he would come by, you knew he was coming. You could hear the music before he got there. He was a spirit, like a living spirit. And that's why so hard to describe who he was, because it was nothing but. Joy when he was around. And it always like he came to the rescue right out town whenever my mom needed them or we needed his mother needed him. His son. His son lived in Kentucky. While he lived in Alabama, and he made it a point to always go get him, go see him. I would rive at him sometimes to Kentucky. So he was all around stand up guy. Every memory I have of him is a positive one, except for the day that he passed. His niece to Kia recalls that he was always there for people and would do anything for his family. He always made time for the ones he loved. Eric's sense of humor and positivity were contagious. He wasn't just popular because of his abilities, but because of his genuine love for others. Hi, I'm Takia de Lum's. I'm Eric's niece. So I just want to say that he was definitely, like I think the right word, as a beacon in our family. He kind of just he lied naturally. Like his cousins like that were around his age. They lingered around him because he was such a leader. He was a father fader to me and you know, just always came through for the family whenever room we needed him. He taught me how to dan, he knew how to He was just all around good guy, you know. And I think I get my face spirits from him because you know, I always try to keep the smile on my face or try to my family happy. Eric's sense of joy and his ability to bring people together were essential parts of who he was. He wasn't just about family gatherings. Eric worked hard to make everyone around him feel valued. Eric's mother, Annie, remembers her son as being a friendly, outgoing man. He was truly a kind person and really would go out of his way to help others. Annie recalls him being such a people person and someone who truly truly cared. My name is Anna Nella, realis it? And I am the mother of Eric Nellen, who was killed September twenty six, two thousand. And three, in his driveway. I w I say that it was a very nice and intelligent young man, and most people were saying that they would give me to shut out the back. But when I say that by my son, it's really true. He happened a lot of peoples. After high school, Eric joined the US Army in nineteen ninety. His service took him to Germany and later to the Persian Gulf during the Gulf War. Eric's service and the army shaped him into a disciplined, dedicated man known for his sharpshooting skills and on waivering commitment. But even as he traveled the world, Eric always kept in touch with his childhood friend Tara Jones, and their relationship eventually turned into a lasting bond. Eric and Terra's relationship blossomed later in life, and in two thousand and three, they decided to get married. The couple settled into a new home, blending their families. Eric had children from his previous relationships, and he quickly bonded with Terra's children. They built a life together focused on their family and their future. Eric's children, including a son, Antonio were really the center of his world. On the morning of September twenty sixth, two thousand and three, Eric followed his usual routine. He woke up early, prepared for his day, and left for work while his wife and children remained asleep inside their home. His family had no idea what would unfold just outside the door. Eric walked out into the car port a short distance from the front door of his house to start his truck and get ready for his day. It was a typical Friday morning until it wasn't. As Eric stepped outside to start his truck, someone was already waiting for him. At five thirty a m. Multiple shots rang out, echoing through the air. Eric was ambushed. The shooter fired at least three times, striking Eric multiple times, and within seconds he was down, lifeless on the concrete. The shooter fled the scene immediately, leaving Eric's body lying there, cold and unmoving. His wife, Tera, still inside, heard the shots and rushed to gather the children, locking them in the bedroom and escaping out the window to safety, But by the time emergency responders arrived, Eric was already gone. As Tara ran to a neighbor's house to call for help. The police arrived at the scene to find Eric lying lifeless just outside his home. The investigation then began, but at first there were more questions than answers. The authorities quickly rolled out robbery. Eric's belongings were left untouched and there was no sign of a struggle. It left the police wondering what was the motive for the brutal murder. Well, the motive, it seemed, was personal, but what was the reason. Police immediately began questioning Eric's family, friends, and neighbors. Everyone they had spoke to had nothing but praise for Eric. They couldn't fathom why someone would want him dead. In the early days of the investigation, law enforcement considered every possible angle, but none of them led to any concrete answers. One thing did stand out. Though the shooter had been waiting for Eric, the time of the attack, five thirty am was not random. It was a time that Eric followed every single day. He left for work early, just as he always did. This suggested that the shooter was familiar with Eric's routine, perhaps even someone close to him. Annie especially felt this inner gut. She firmly believed that the murder of her son had been premeditated by someone who knew Eric's habits. They timed him, they knew what time he came out. To go to work. They were already there and just started shooting. Despite the pain, Eric's mother and his family were determined to get answers. They pushed for an investigation, hoping that someone would eventually come forward with a clue, a piece of the puzzle that would crack the case wide open, but unfortunately, no such breakthrough came. Phoenix City Police initially struggled to make any headway. The family was devastated not just by Eric's death, but by the lack of progress in the investigation. Kathy explains that they didn't hear anything from the police, that they kept reaching out, but they were left in the dark. It was frustrating that they didn't know where to turn. Kathy shares more about how she felt throughout the process. I would contact them and try to get information, and they were forthcoming. Not initially, but eventually once we got in our face and ain kind of saw us and felt, you know, for us and the grief that we were going through, they did provide us with information. So I don't want to make it seem as though they didn't. They didn't handle my mom on the scene correctly because they didn't acknowledge that. She was a mother. They didn't console her, they didn't say my condolences, they didn't say I will follow up with you and your family in regards to this case. None of that happened. So she still feels like she's unseen and unheard, and I can totally understand that. And because of that feeling that she has, that's what drives me. These two people on this podcast, my children, that's my wife, because they suffered a loss just as much as I did. And last but not least, his son, he lost a father. That's what motivates me to keep going and make myself you know, it's like a simpless thing because of them. Despite the lack of progress from local authorities, Cathy took matters into her own hands. She began writing letters to law enforcement, reaching out to media outlets and content anyone who could help bring attention to the case. She felt like she had to do something. She couldn't just sit around and wait for the phone to ring. So when my brother was killed, I immediately just started thinking of things that I can do with people. I can reach out to to try to get reward money like that was my biggest goal at first, because I was trying to leave everything up to the law enforcement to try to get the case off. So I wanted to bring attention to it. So I reached out to the company that he worked for. I reached out to some of his former classmates that went to the NFL or NBA looking on it in different TV shows that would focus on cold case. So at the time, America's most wanted was like the show for crime related in cases. So I wrote to them several times. I wrote to Nasty Grace, I wrote to Whole Case in forty eight hours Dateline to see who could highlight his case to. Break some attention to it. So again none of that was fruitful. I just kept moving forward. I made a list of all law enforcement in Alabama. I wrote letters to them. I wrote letters to the attorneys general, to anybody who I can get attention from. Where the ball started moving is when my mom and I went and sat down with the Russell County DA at the time. His name was Kenneth Davis. Ken Davis listened to my mom and I and he assigned an investigator to oversee my brother's case and things City of Police department. But it's only was one investigating officer. Of course, he has to split his time on other cases. As the investigation unfolded, several theories emerged. The most prevalent one was that the killer was someone who knew Eric, someone who understood his schedule and knew one needed to be alone. The calculated nature of the crime, the fact that the shooter was waiting for him at precisely the right time, led investigators to believe that this was no random act of violence. The timing of the attack suggested a level of premeditation. Another theory that emerged was that Eric's murder was a targeted hits. Some believe that the murder had been carried out by someone with experience in committing such crimes. The fact that there were no witnesses and no direct evidence to point to a suspect made this theory seem possible. Could someone have paid to have Eric killed? Was this a professional hits? Others believed the murder was tied to an embezzlement case Eric had become involved with. Eric had been in the middle of an embezzlement case with some people he knew. According to Kathy, he had gone to Atlanta to meet with them just days before his death. This connection may have been a part of the reason he was targeted. Throughout the investigation. Well, I knew from the beginning that that was a lingering case in regards to a federal case dealing with an embezzlement that my brother took part in as far as cashing the checks for one of his friends' spouses. The Atlanta connection is that my brother and the company that the investment took place from is headquartered here in Atlanta, and those the friends spouse worked at that company in that accounting department and accounts people. So she set my brother up as a vendor as a Trunck and company, and that's how the investment started. So the Monday or two said prior to his death, him and his wife made a trip to Atlanta to meet with the Cowlings. So they met with Eric and Stephanie Cowing here in Atlanta, and at the time, Stemphany gave my brother a script to say to investigate us when they called, because she had the crime had been discovered by that audience. She gave him the script and asked him to take the blame for the for the investment, but I don't know how she thought that was even feasible, being that she was the inside person. No lay person can just write checks for themselves and circumvent the system where it is not discovered for a long period of time. So fast forward to Friday, my mom gets a call at work that my brother had been shot, and she thought it was a joke because my aunt that communicated this to her is a joker of the family, so she didn't think that she was serious. But when she arrived on the scene, of course, she discovered my brother's body of land in his driveway and all these people are gathered around. Amongst the people that are gathered around is the people that I'm mentioning that he met with earlier that week. So there's just a lot of people that typically wouldn't be in the midst that was there on a scene, according to my mom, and it's highly suspectful. And she mentioned that there were two guys that were apprehended in handcuffs on the ground when she arrived. However, in the police report, it doesn't mention that anybody was detained, So I found that highly suspect issues as well. The case, the federal case was tried. They called me as a witness because I was privy to the information the not the details, but just the overall premise of what was going on the persons of interest, the couple. They were sentenced to eight years in the federal prison. They came back home and just resumed their life as though nothing happened. So like when I would visit my mom in Columbus and see them riding up the street, it was just kissed me off so bad because I'm like, they're out and living their life and they could have potentially taken a life. And I say they because when the detective on the case, she's down to sea. When the two initial detectives on the case, it was Lieutenant Deer and Detective Mike Bergo, they told us like I came out and asked, because there was so many rumors floating around our hometown. They were saying that the spouse was involved. They were saying her ex spouse, her ex husband was involved, and then these two friends. Nobody knew about the two friends because it was something that we kept without our family. So if you had no knowledge of it, you would just the fault too, that the wife and then expouse. Did it, which is still probable. But when I asked the detective if they questioned him, they said, yes, we don't think he did it. So they told me that Eric and Stephanie Callen were their main suspects. So with this theory, the family suspicions continued to grow stronger, and Kathy and her family believed that this may have been the motive behind the killing. The police, however, have never confirmed this theory. In June two thousand and four, nearly a year after Eric's death, the case was still unsolved. The investigation had hit a wall, but because of Kathy's perseverance, then Alabama Governor Bob Briley stepped in. He announced a five thousand dollars reward for any inform that could lead to an arrest and conviction. It was a long shot, but it was a step toward keeping the case alive. I asked them, is there something you can do to get some reward money, and he said yes, I'm got right to the state and see if we can get some reward money. So he obliged and did that, and the governor at the time was Bob Riley and Bob Riley did make a reward propamation for five thousand dollars, so we were happy for that. Unfortunately, Governor Riley's reward did little to stir up new information, and the case continued to grow cold despite the lack of answers. Though Eric's family has never stopped fighting for justice over the years, Kathy's tireless advocacy has kept the case in the public eye in recent years. As the twentieth anniversary of Eric's staff approached, the family renewed their efforts. They reached out to Central Alabama Crime Stoppers and managed to get a new billboard placed in Atlanta, Georgia, which was a strategic location. Cathy says she wanted to put the billboard up in Atlanta because she believed the people involved in Eric's murder were from there. It just felt like the right place to remind people that his case is still unsolved. Though progress has been slow, Kathy and her family's relentless fight for justice continues. In twenty twenty three, the State of Alabama renewed the reward for Eric's case, raising it to ten thousand dollars, a step forward for a case that has been called for far too long. At the time, Columbus, Georgia, which is the neighboring city for Fams City, Alabama, they had a crime Stoppers at the time, so we had a total of six thousand dollars. So the state gave us five thousand dollars. Crime Stoppers did it's one thousand. It just got to a point where working on this case really consumed me, and that's just all I could think about. And at the time, I had little kids. My kids were on the verge of being teenagers, but she wasn't quite there. So I just had to get to a point where I had to just let it go. And I told myself I was gonna give it to God because it was taking control of my life. As a matter of fact, it really got to. A point where I felt like I was I wanted to kill myself and be suicidal because I couldn't understand why would such a great person, why would somebody take such a great person? And that's just where my mind was going. So that's the dark place that I went to. But thank God, I was able to get away from that and to move forward in life. So I put all that to the rest. I would touch it every now and then, when the anniversary of his death would approach, I would reach out and if nothing came whether I would move forward. Fast forward to the twentieth year approaching. I talked to my mom and I was like, hey, you know the twentieth years approaching, we need to do something again. I go into research mode. I'm on Google and just write down different things that I can try writing letters. Reached out to Central Alabama Crime Stoppers. We went to Montgomery, we had a print day with them. Central Alabama Crime Stoppers initiated the reward from early two thousands to be renewed, as well as add an additional five thousand dollars to what we potentially could have from the state again, so that brought the reward to ten thousand dollars. Since then, everything has been steadily moving forward. I think one of the first people that I talked to was Alabama Cold Case Advocacy with Mary and Carey from Alabama coldt Case Advocacy. Now are the first people that we interviewed with and did the podcast. And then we talked to Done with Method and Madness podcasts, and then after that I met. With Kendall from season of justice. She talked to me. We cried together, and she told me that she was going to submit my application for a grant, but it would be in the spring. So fast forward spring com She said, you got are getting this grant. We're gonna put a billboard up for you. She sent me the different locations. I strategically chose the location that was closest to my brother's home because I just wanted to remind those that coming by that, you know, his case is still unsolved and not unforgotten. So it was a joyous moment for our family because it felt like we had finally accomplished something after years of the case being stagnant and feeling like the police department wasn't listening to us. Then will we give him information? It feels like they brush it off or with whole information from us. So it was like a little victory for us to see that billboard up there, and to see his stace on that billboard. It was just a joyous moment. And I know that sounds crazy for a murder case, but that's how I made us feel little happy. So it was like a little victory. Kathy's petition for the Attorney General's Office to take over the case has also so gained a lot of traction with over a thousand signatures now in support of the request. I'll make sure to leave the link in the show notes so you can also go and sign the petition and be a part of the fight for justice for Eric. Because the Phoenix City Police, I had been so listening for the Attorney General to take over the case because I just had lost faith in that police department because Phoenix City is just such a small town and I just never had faith in. Them to solve my brother's case. So I went on change and created a petition for the Attorney General's Cold Case Unit to take over the case. And the police apartment was kind of I'm not going to say resistant, but they kind of like patronized me, and they were like, yeah, okay, they appeased me. I reached out to the person the name that I found on LinkedIn that worked for the Attorney General's office, and I'm like, Hey, so here's my brother's case here in the Alabama and I want to see if you could review it for potentially you guys taking over the case. Minjo had already sent letters to the Attorney's and I's office prior to that and didn't get any response for them. But I'm going to back up a little bit. Back in two thousand and four, I reached out to the Attorney General for the state of Alabama at that time. His name is Troy King, and at the time he did respond to my letters and he was like, we're sorry for your laws. You know, I'll make sure that all the resources we have is extended to this case. So they accepted it. They assigned to Tony Costaldo as the investigator. They was monitoring the case because there was a federal component that's attached to it. Eventually, one of the people that worked at the Code. Case unit sent me an email. His name was J. D. Shelton, and he said that we've heard from Things City that the case is solved. And I'm like, why would someone say that when it's not true. So I immediately called things to the police department and I'm like, hey, mister Shelton, that the AG's office is telling me that the case is solved, that you guys saw the case and didn't notify the family, and they're like, no, that's not correct. So anyway, I tried to get it undone reached out to the AG again. It's like, hey, your office made this mistake. How can we make this right? Long story short, the AG is not re elected or whatever. It is, a new AG's in the office, so it's like starting over from square one because they can rotate the investigators as well. So I reached out to the current AG, who is Steve Marshall. He did not respond like the previous AG had. There was no correspondence or anything from multiple letters. So then that motivated me to do the change dot orgician for the office. And my goal is for their office to take over the investigation because they are staffed by season law enforcement officers, so they're former homicide detectives, FBI agent, Secret Service, So I figured with their vast experience that they would, you know, look at the case, and even if they don't, it's it would be French eyes on the case that's been stalled for twenty plus years. That's where I am right now, and as of yesterday, we crossed the threshold of one thousand signatures, which I'm happy for. That was a huge milestone. So I want the AG's office still to take over the case. I would like for the numbers to continue to go up because without the numbers, you know, that doesn't get their attention. If you don't have the numbers or the following behind you, I. Don't have a huge following, and I'm okay with that because I feel as though the people that I do have follow me and support me, they do it religiously, like they're like strong supporters, and I'm happy for that. So it's quality over quantity, because I've still been able to get things accomplished and move for it. To this day, the murder of Eric Nelms remains unsolved. Phoenix City Police state that they continue to investigate, and the family continues to fight for answers. Well the case has gone cold, it is not forgotten. When it approached the twentieth anniversary, as I said, I stepped away for a while. I told myself I would put a notice in my calendar where I would contact him every month on the twenty six because that's the day my brother died. So every month on the twenty sixth, I send them an email. And at first I was calling, and then something that the captain has assigned to the case, you know, told my mom, my daughter and I. He recanted later that taught me a valuable liston I don't want to talk to you because you can always say, oh, that's hearsay. So I always reach out to him via email so that it's in writing. So that's my routine with him. My mom and I recently had a meeting with It was supposed to be with the police chief, but the police chief opted out and sent the assistant police chief. And when my mom and I asked him questions regards to the status of the case, they're saying, we've been exhausted all the leaves, but the case is still active, and a lot of people that I've talked to you, they was like, how can. It be when us a cold case? So we had a lot of questions and their answer was, we can't discuss up with you. And if they knew going into the meeting that that was the stance they were gonna take, while waste our time. I traveled two hours to come to Columbus from Atlanta just to have this meeting and just for you to tell me no comment pretty much, so that pissed me off. Again, I'm okay with being the angry sister and my mom could be the one that they have sympathy towards because that's just what it is. So that's my role. I'm okay with that. I don't care about rustling feathers because what do I have to lose at this point, Like my brother is gone and this case is still on solve. So on Twitter, I have specific people that I reached out. I reached out to everybody that had something to do with lost worts, with cold case advocacy, things like that. So amongst those people with this guy named Douglas McGregor, and he's a part of this group called the Irish, and I forgot what it stands for, but they're like a team of an investigative group. So we did talk and he said, this is a case that my group will be interested in, and we're willing to accept the case, but the contingency is that thing City Police has to give us access to the case file. So my deals himself write a letter. I wrote it to both of the DA I wrote one. To the General and I wrote one to the captain who's assigned to my brother's case. And immediately he said, no, I'm not inviting anybody. Into my case. It's an active homicide investigative investigator investigation. So I'm like, well, what's active about it? What's why he didn't reply back. But in our meeting what we had with an assistant police chief a few weeks ago last month, he was like, oh, we're not going to invite no law enforcement. Well, when I sent the when I sent the letter to each of them requesting that they released the case file either to me, my mom or to to know this team. The team was not asking for the files to leave their offense. They were gonna ask him for the police to step out of a room or anything like that. They were willing to sign a non disclosure agreement. But again Phoenix said, police shut that down. That pissed me off once again. And that's my word when it comes to the city's kissing me off because that's what they constantly do. So these people, Douglas provided me a flyer with all their credentials on it, like these people that are solicited by police officers and FBI all around the United States when they have a case that they want these specialists on. So they are former homicide detective, forenasics, anything that you would want saw the case, they have it on their team. So again they denied that. I wanted to mention that as well, because we're at a standstill. And my thing is, if Fenny City say they've exhausted all of their resources and have no new leads in regards to this case, and the case is not moving forward and you're not giving it to the AG's office, then why not let a person come in and take a look at it, like what do you have to lose? And it's my understanding that it's a lot of times it's due to an ego trip, like how they invite somebody else in to come solve our case. Well, if that's your position, then do their job. Do the job. And that's all we expect from them is for them to do their job. It's not step to the sign. I would like to say that I wish and pray that instead of police caught me with the interviewing some of the people that was in love in this case, they have been given information and then they said, he'll say, but I know for a fact that it's not his say. So I need them to do their job and stop telling me that that they can't make these people come in and talk to them. When that was so close to the case. And some of them was involved in the shooting of my. Son, and they still won't do anything, and I need them to really do that job. But the question still remains who killed Eric Nellins? Was it someone close to him, someone who knew his schedule and knew exactly when to strike. The lack of evidence, the absence of witnesses, and the fact that nothing was stolen from Eric makes this case a difficult one to crack, but there's always hope that someone somewhere will come forward with the crucial piece of information needed to solve this case. When he asked, I think I was fifteen to sixteen, I was like a freshman in high school. My mom came and picked me up from school and we drove down to Columbus. Nobody told her what was going on at the time until he got to my grandy's house. And when we found out what happened, it's just disbelief because he wasn't a street guy, he wasn't a bad person, no known enemies. Like I said, I never seen him in the confrontation or never seen him angry. And then few days after he's passed and out, hearing my mom's account of what happened. The first forty eight to seventy two hours is probably the most crucial time trying to solve a murder into neglect the family or my mom's input, and she had crucial information. Just to. Kind of the incompetence of the police department, and I feel like since they've been passing the buck's kind of an embarrassment through her reaching out to different people that are willing to do the due diligence and request records, so on and so forth, speaks to how it may be embarrassed in to them. Even though this is a different administration as far as the police department is concerned. These are different people, different leaders in the police department. It's kind of a slapping face because even see SBI feels like the money was more important than the life. When these two things were clearly connected. Whether there's a connection to his murder or not, these things are connected in some form of fashion, whether it came from the people involved in the initial crime or somebody in retaliation, who knows, But to not investigate those things was a slap in the face amongst the people that would hang around him, such as his friends, his wife. They kind of fell by the wayside, and these were they were a constant in his life. There were a constant in our life, whether he was there or not. So for him to be gone and those people disappear as well, it just raised all kind of red flags. And these are the same people that my mom mentioned to the police department for us to be able to piece things together and see them for what they are or see the connections. And then the police departments investigative teams. Neglected themselves. It feels like a slap interface. And we were angry for years how they handled it and how the people around my uncle were behaving, And now that anger is more focused into a positive outcome seeking justice for my uncle. So at this point, the billboards. The constant reposting and posting about him and his case, and the reward is to remind people that we haven't forgot. There's a reward out. For any information and we're seeking justice at any costs. So we'll spend the time, the money, the resources, whether the departments want to do it or not, we'll keep binding it until something comes out, because, like I said, a lot of this is kind of obvious as far as something to look into, and we just want enough energy behind this and enough attention behind us to where it can't be ignored. You have to look into it, whether it's the police department or these investigative groups. I even think she had trouble getting the optopsy report, which is ridiculous. His mom and his sister are is too closest relatives, and for them not to be able to get those documents, it's strange. And for his ex wife to not want to be a part of the justice. Seeking, it's even stranger. So I can't expouse any wrongdoings on anybody. I can only speak to. How it feels once he's gone and how they behaved when he was here, because, like my sister said, he was a beacon, so people gravitate towards him and gravitated towards our family. And for him to be gone and the love that they have for our family and air quotations to seem like it no longer exists, it's puzzling, And like I said, it's a slap in the face for all of those things not to be looked at and investigated. It's a major void that's missing in our family. Even though he's been gone so long. He was so important that when different situations will arise after his death, I would always think, how would this be different if he was here? How would this be different if he was here? You know, And he has a son now that has a daughter, so he would have been a grandfather, and his son followed in his footsteps and join the army as well. And it's doing very, very good. But it's even hard for him to advocate for his father. I can only imagine, you know, the thoughts that he have even seeing our reposting and posting on some of this stuff. So we'll speak for him, even though right now he may may not be emostly able to advocate for himself. Will advocate for him and his father, because, like I said, it's such a big void that's missing from my family and justice. Justice isn't needed because he didn't deserve. He didn't deserve that at all. Nobody in our family deserved not to have him present. He deserved to live as long as guy would allow. Yeah, for somebody whatever they thought into their own hands. It's just not right, especially because of the kind of person he was, And just totally don't want to, totally don't want to, especially for everybody else to just move on with their lives and act like he didn't exist, or act like he didn't do things for them or really really be there for them time and need. So we're going to have a cake for him. We're going to have Kate four Snana and. His grandchild and my grandmother and my sister and me and anybody that will come after. Will will keep his name alive, We'll keep his legacy alive, because that's that's the kind of person that's missing. He deserves to be celebrated, and he deserves you. If you have any information, no matter how small it may seem, please contact Crime Stoppers of Central Alabama at three three four two on five seven eight six seven. You can remain anonymous. Your tip could be the one that finally brings justice to Eric Nullins and brings answers to his family. If you know something, say something. I want to personally thank Eric's family for partnering with me to bring you this episode. Please make sure to share share this episode so we can continue to bring awareness to Eric's case and hopefully one day he will get the justice he deserves. Thank you so much for joining me today for this episode of Case uncovered and for listening to Eric's story. Make sure to connect with me on Facebook and Instagram at Jen Rivera Investigates. Until next time, stay curious, stay vigilant, and stay safe out there. Fireeyes Media