LAKELAND, Fla. — An entire year has passed, yet the pain Joe Ketchum feels from losing his son has not.
“He would’ve been 18 in May, and he would’ve graduated high school and started his life. Unfortunately, that’s been taken from him,” Ketchum said.
Every day that goes by has been torture for Ketchum, not knowing who killed his son Tye Ketchum.
“Why? I just want to understand Why? Why would you do that? It doesn’t make any sense, none whatsoever,” Ketchum said.
Tye attended Lakeland High School. His loved ones described him as big-hearted and devoted to God and his family.
On October 15, 2022, the 17-year-old was shot inside his home at the Park at Palazzo Apartments, located at 3685 Victoria Manor Drive in Lakeland. His father had just gotten home from work and found him.
“I found him lying on the floor, face down, gasping for air. I didn’t know what happened. Initially, I thought it was a stab wound, but it wasn’t, it was a gunshot wound,” Ketchum said.
There is a $10,000 reward available for information that leads to an arrest. The Lakeland Police Department has recently released Tye's name and photo with the family’s permission.
Ketchum wishes investigators had asked them to share those details sooner.
“That was one of the things that upset me and my ex-wife. When the initial newspaper was written about what had happened, all it says was it was a minor at a north Lakeland apartment complex,” he said.
He won't stop pushing for answers until his son’s killer is caught.
“Hopeful that somebody out there that sees this understands what happened that night and comes forward so that we can have justice,” said Ketchum.
If you have any information, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers Florida. Call 1-800-226 TIPS (8477), or dial **TIPS from your cell phone. You can also submit a tip online.
