Mother continues search for answers after son found shot, killed on train tracks in Hopewell

HOPEWELL, Va. (WWBT) - On Sunday afternoon, family and friends of a teen found shot and killed in Hopewell nearly 10 months ago gathered to celebrate his life and spread his ashes on what would’ve been his 19th birthday.

Jeanette Johnson, Jasir Culver’s mother, held a picture of her son close to her heart.

“Great, fun, spirited person. All around excitement,” said Johnson about her son, Jasir. “He was my energy ball.”

On June 24, 2022, 18-year-old Jasir Culver and 14-year-old Micah Coles were shot and killed while walking to a store down Elm Street with a group of friends. Two other teens were also hurt and rushed to the hospital.

“Even when I’m sad and I’m feeling down, I listen to him say, ‘You’re strong,’” said Johnson.

The Hopewell Police Department told NBC12 they’re still following up on leads that come in, but no arrests have been made in this case.

“We want justice. We want someone to be held accountable for this ordeal,” said Johnson. “I’m very confident that the case will be solved and we will find a resolution very soon.”

Johnson spoke to NBC12 in February about her son and her wish to find out who killed Jasir and Micah.

“To the person who did it to him or those people involved, like I am aching for you because I want to know your path,” Johnson told NBC12 in a previous interview in February.

On what would’ve been Jasir’s 19th birthday, several of his family and friends gathered to remember his life and scatter his ashes at the place where he was tragically killed nearly one year ago.

“We felt like on his birthday, we don’t want to celebrate his death date,” said Johnson. “We want to celebrate the day that he was born and that day was given to us with much blessings.”

As Johnson continues her search for closure, she wants everyone to remember her son and the happiness he shared.

“Choose happy. If you’re going to make a choice, choose to be happy,” she told NBC12. “He always was happy. Wake up happy, never understood it, but choose happy. Choose to be happy. We never know how much time and he was happy all 18 years of his life that he was here.”

Johnson is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to an arrest in this case. If you have any tips to share, you can call Crime Solvers at (804)-541-2202.

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