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Daytona Beach family wants investigation into son's slaying reopened

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The parents of a Daytona Beach man, slain 15 years ago, said they hope they will live long enough to see his killer found and justice served. The family is begging for police to reopen their son's case.

Keith Jones was shot and killed in Fort Myers in 1997. On Wednesday, Channel 9's Blaine Tolison spoke with Jones' parents about their efforts to get police to look again at the cold case.

Michael Chitwood, the Daytona Beach Chief of Police, is speaking out about a slaying case that his department didn't handle.

Chitwood said he felt it was his moral obligation to bring the 16-year-old unsolved killing of Jones, a graduate of Seabreeze High School, to light.

Isabell and Preston Jones are both 76 years old. They said they find it hard to sleep at night  -- the unsolved death of their son still haunts them.

"My husband told me a voice of Keith came to him after he had passed and he said, 'Daddy, don't worry. Don't worry, I'm alright," said Isabell Jones.

Keith Jones grew up in Daytona Beach, spent time in the marines and was in line to become a police officer. He was shot in the head at a Fort Myers hotel during a robbery.

Chitwood learned about their case. He said the family deserves some answers.

"We need more than just making a phone call here. Something is not right, and the Jones family is owed an explanation," said Chitwood.

Chitwood said that in 1997 Jones was with a family friend who may have known the alleged slaying suspects, and even that he even pointed them out, but no one was ever arrested.

The Jones' family showed Tolison a letter they sent to the Fort Myers Police Department in 2002. They never received a response.

They said they also spent more than $6,000 on a private investigator and legal services trying to find the killers.

Volusia County councilwoman Joyce Cusack is also speaking out on their behalf.

"They need some answers, and it's just the right thing to do," said Cusak.

Isabell Jones suffers from heart disease and recently spent time in the hospital. She said she believes her time is short and said she wants to live long enough to see justice.

"I wanted to know, like I said, before I leave this earth," said Jones.

A representative from the Fort Myers Police department told Tolison that arrest warrants for the suspects in the slaying were denied in 1997 by the State Attorney's Office due to lack of evidence.

They said they are speaking to the Jones family and still working the case.