Eight years later, family still searching for justice in unsolved murder

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - For Yumira Palma and her family, Sept. 29 is the worst day of the year.

“I hate this day,” Yumira said. “If I could go to sleep and wake up tomorrow, I would do it.”

On Sept. 29, 2014, Yumira’s brother, Humberto Palma, was driving his truck in Odessa when he was cut off and shot to death at the corner of Keystone Ave. and 23rd St. He was 39 years old.

His family is still looking for answers.

“We don’t know why somebody would want to do this to him,” Palma said

The “why” still haunts the Palma’s every day. It also haunts the Odessa Police Department.

“All we have is the evidence at the scene and the witness evidence that was presented at the scene,” said Sgt. Justin Caid.

Eight years after Humberto’s murder, the case has struggled to progress.

It’s frustrating for the Palmas, who feel their son and brother has been forgotten, and that OPD isn’t doing enough to solve the crime.

“He belonged to somebody,” Yumira said. “He was ours, and for them to just forget about him… The world goes on, but we get stuck. We got stuck for a long time.”

“We feel their frustration and anger with the investigation,” Caid said.

But after so many years, Yumira is losing hope and worries she won’t see an arrest in her lifetime.

“Nobody deserves to die this way,” she said. “We deserve closure. We deserve to know why they did it, and who did it. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

OPD says they have a detective whose only job is to go over older cases like Humberto’s.

If you know anything about the murder of Humberto Palma, you are encouraged to call the Odessa Police Department… or Odessa Crime Stoppers.

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