WSVN — The Amos' were a big family. A big happy family growing up in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Suzanne Amos: "We do anything for each other and we didn't have very much money at all. We were very poor growing up, so we depended on each other. That is all we really had."
Suzanne was the youngest of nine children. One of her favorites, her brother Michael and one of her last memories of him were when he told her about moving to South Florida.
Suzanne Amos: "He took me walking down a rail road track, and he was holding my hand, and he told me about Florida and the sun is always shinning and the sky is always blue and that was the last day I spent with him, and that is my last memory of him alive."
That was in 1974, her next memory is watching her father on the phone, a former Marine, being told Michael had been murdered.
Suzanne Amos: "That Marine that was so strong was brought to his knees. There was no fight in him, there was nothing that he could defend. He could not do anything, he was helpless against this."
Thirty-three years later, Detective Ray Carmody is still working the case. On this day, sitting outside the Oakland Park apartment where Michael was gunned down.
Detective Ray Carmody: "There was nothing to indicate that anybody was out to get him. He was living a normal life. He was supposed to go to work that night."
Twenty-three-year-old Michael Amos was living what he called a great life. Working at a bar in the nighttime, having fun with another Michigan native in their spare time.
Detective Ray Carmody: "During the day, that day, they were going around hitting different bars, and they were drinking and, you know, living the lives of young guys."
According to witnesses at the time, Michael and his roommate Nelson met two girls at a place called the She Bar.
Detective Ray Carmody: "And one thing led to the next, and the black females followed them back to their residence and the black females at the time where driving what was described as a dark blue Malibu or Cutlass."
Patrick Fraser: "Inside the apartment an argument took place, one of the women pulled out a gun and shot Michael dead, they did not shoot Nelson. He later told Police everything, but nothing turned up, not then, not now. However, for 33 years, detectives have refused to give up."
Detective Ray Carmody: "Just something that could give us something to work on, that's how we work cases. We go out, we take all the facts we can and then we work with the facts. Just somebody that gives us that one little tip, that might break the case."
Break open a case that broke apart a family and didn't destroy just one life but several, beginning with Michael's mother.
Suzanne Amos: "She went thought living hell. There are no words to describe her pain. Not only did this person take my brother, but he took my mom too because she was dead from that moment on."
Finding the killer would not bring their brother back, would not heal wounds that have ripped through a family for 33 years, but answers to their questions is all they have left to hope for.
Bill Amos: "The main reason I think for this interview is to request from the public if anybody knows. There might be someone in jail right now, you know. Maybe they can talk to someone and say, 'Hey, the guy told me or the lady or who ever committed the crime, they told us about that situation.' Maybe we will never know, but at least having some answers and finding the truth will help a lot."
Patrick Fraser: "Two people involved in killing one person and destroying so many lives. Thirty-three years after the murder, it's not too late to finally say something."
If you know anything about the people who left a bar in 1974 with Michael Amos, contact the Broward Sheriff's Office. And if you lost a friend or a loved one and want us to remember them contact us. We are still Out for Justice.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Out for Justice MIAMI-DADE: 305-598-HELPBROWARD: 954-796-HELP