Family of teen last seen alive in Chicago’s East Side continues to search for answers 15 years later

Cook dinner County Crime Stoppers joined kin of Christoper Pioneda Saturday of their push for closure.

Monday would have been Pineda’s thirty third Birthday.

It could have been simply over 15 years, however any household that has misplaced a love, in the way in which the Pineda household misplaced Christopher, there isn’t any period of time passing that may hold them from justice.

Pineda’s household has stood on the East Aspect neighborhood intersection of 108th and Ewing streets a number of instances, recalling the final place he was seen alive 15 years in the past.

“We need to carry all the eye that he deserves to the case,” mentioned Monica Sanchez, Pineda’s niece.

She was only a lady when her uncle went lacking and later discovered murdered.

Now, Sanchez is all grown up however her uncle’s case continues to be unsolved.

“They took my grandma’s son, brother, uncle, buddy, they took so much from them,” Sanchez mentioned.

The household mentioned they stand out on the intersection, passing out flyers together with his face.

“It is nonetheless an open investigation, nonetheless in search of what occurred. Why did it occur? What occurred that day,” mentioned George McDade, chairman of the Cook dinner County Crime Stoppers.

“It would not matter how a lot time passes, we’re gonna hold pushing. There’s generations after us that may hold pushing,” Sanchez mentioned.

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In 2007, Pineda, who was a Whitney Younger Magnet Faculty scholar on the time, had simply dropped his girlfriend off at work after college. He was supposed to go house from the bus cease at 108th and Ewing streets, however by no means made it.

As an alternative, investigators discovered the then-17-year-old’s physique, badly overwhelmed within the Cal-Sag Channel in south suburban Blue Island, per week after he went lacking.

Regardless that years have handed, household stood out to honor a life that may have been not totally lived however was totally liked.

“I do not need to cry. I need to be sturdy for him and robust for the household, as a result of my mother has stood up right here in entrance of you guys crying the identical factor asking for assist. And I simply need one thing to come back of it,” Sanchez mentioned.

“We’re depending on the general public. That is what’s gonna get that piece of data that helps get the case out. It is not going to come back from the general public, if the police had it or one thing and arrests had been made,” McDade mentioned.

Sanchez mentioned every time they maintain these occasions with household, associates, and even the detectives on his case, it is with the hope that even one tip to the police or nameless name to Crime Stoppers, will carry not simply justice however closure to this household.

Pineda, the son of Guatemalan immigrants, was set to be the primary in his household to graduate from highschool with set plans to go to school on the time.

Whitney Younger Magnet Excessive Faculty honored Pineda’s household by presenting his diploma, posthumously.

“Now everybody after him that has graduated in his honor. They’re like, ‘That is for him; we did this for him,’” mentioned Sanchez.