The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE family of 25-year-old Quintero Arnett, who was murdered in front of his girlfriend and four-year-old daughter earlier this year, is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.

The reward, coordinated privately by family and friends, is not being offered through the police or Crime Stoppers. The family hopes the cash incentive will encourage someone with concrete evidence to come forward.

On Sunday, to mark what would have been Quintero’s 25th birthday, his family visited his grave, held a prayer service, and released balloons before gathering at home.

His father, Quinton Arnett, said the family has received no major updates from police in seven months. He said they are determined to keep the case alive and find justice for his son.

“Family and friends, put together so that we can offer a reward, because it's been, like, about seven months since we last heard from the police,” Mr Arnett said.

“We all know how things go in this country, if you don't hear nothing within a certain time and then eventually it’s considered a cold case, and with murder cases, you know, it is always somebody that knows something that happened, so we trying to point something in the right direction, so that police can have something to actually go by so they get arrest the individuals responsible for his death.”

He said the family is asking anyone with information to come forward, promising anonymity and confidentiality.

“If you're afraid to come forward you could remain anonymous, you don't have to call your name, and it's strictly confidential,” he said. “We hoping that it sends the police in the right direction to arrest the individuals responsible, we don't just want hearsay or this who they think it is, we want concrete evidence.”

Talking of the visit to Quintero’s grave, Mr Arnett said: “We went to the graveyard, held a prayer in the graveyard, let some balloons off, then we came home and had a little get together.”

He admitted that coping with the loss has been difficult.

“It's been tough, you know, we have the goods, the bads, the ups and downs but try to get over it,” he said.

Despite the pain, Mr Arnett said he has chosen forgiveness.

“I forgive them," he said yesterday. "I mean, at the end of the day, like I say, we definitely want justice for him,” he said.

Quintero was gunned down in February while sitting in a vehicle with his girlfriend and four-year-old daughter outside a business on Dunmore Street.

CCTV footage of the shooting, which circulated widely online, sparked national outrage. The footage showed several masked gunmen opening fire as Quintero’s daughter ran for her life. In his final moments, Quintero opened the car door, allowing her to escape.

At the time, Mr Arnett told The Tribune that he had cancelled his 50th birthday trip to Las Vegas because he could not bear the thought of travelling while his only son lay in a morgue. He said his granddaughter’s innocence shielded her from the horror of what she had witnessed.

Quintero, a boat captain for Pieces of 8 Charters, who also worked as a mechanic, was described by his father as a devoted father and hardworking young man who dreamed of owning his own boat one day.

Police said at the time they were investigating whether Quintero was the intended target. As the investigation continues, Mr Arnett said the family’s greatest wish is for closure — and for justice.