A missing 19-year-old student was found dead on Brooklyn train tracks, police said, his body badly burned with a gunshot wound to the head.
The grisly discovery was made Tuesday by police, near Nostrand Avenue in Midwood. The person was later identified as DeAndre Matthews, and the medical examiner revealed that he had also suffered from smoke inhalation.
On Friday, Matthews' mother had a message for whomever was responsible for killing her son.
"I don’t even know what to say to the camera, but whoever the killer is, reveal yourself, because you’re gonna get caught," said Danielle Matthews, who couldn't believe anyone would want to hurt her son. "I’m a hurt mother. I have my daughter but that was my son, that was my best friend. He made me a mother."
Police are still trying to piece together Matthews' final 24 hours. His sister, Dajanae Gillespie, said he left his job at Buggy Service Center in Crown Heights around 5 p.m. Monday and went home to borrow their mother’s Jeep for the night. She was one of the last people to speak to DeAndre on the phone — before he disappeared.
The family reported him missing Tuesday. His body was discovered later that day.
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"I want to know why [the killer] did it. What was the reason? DeAndre wasn’t a violent person. This wasn’t for retaliation. He wasn’t in the streets," Gillespie said.
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Gillespie added that because he brother was gay, she feels it could have been some sort of hate crime.
His mother located the Jeep with GPS outside a warehouse on Troy Avenue. It was also burned.
"You’re not gonna be able to sleep, I’m gonna make sure y’all know my son’s story. I’m gonna make sure DeAndre’s name is heard," the grieving mother said.
The SUNY Broome Community college student was known for his love of people and his sense of humor. His family said he wanted to become a social worker, but now they're planning his funeral.
"Now, as a mother, I’m suffering. My daughter don’t have a big brother. My sister don’t have a nephew, my mother don’t have a grandson," said Danielle Matthews.
No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone who has information is asked to call Crime Stoppers.
