In the autumn of 2017, the life of a young Black/African American woman, Crystal Marie Young, age 20, was tragically cut short in Charleston, West Virginia. On the afternoon of October 25th, a person who had pulled over on Pacific Street near Garrison Avenue on the city's West Side made a devastating discovery. Just inside a wooded area, about forty feet from the road, lay Crystal's body.
The passerby immediately contacted 911 around 12:30 p.m.
Charleston police quickly responded to the scene and initiated a homicide investigation, confirming that the 20-year-old had died from gunshot injuries. Investigators began the process of canvassing the area for evidence and speaking with Crystal's family members to piece together the circumstances leading to her death. The police chief at the time described Crystal as a "high risk" victim due to her lifestyle, though he also emphasized the profound tragedy of such a young life being lost.
In the weeks and years that followed, Crystal's family and friends gathered to remember her and plead for answers. They held a balloon release on what would have been her twenty-first birthday, a poignant tribute to a life that ended too soon. Despite their public pleas and the ongoing police investigation, no arrests have been announced in connection with Crystal Young's murder. The case remains unsolved, with no publicly identified suspects, leaving a community and a grieving family waiting for justice. Crystal, a lifelong resident of Charleston who attended Capital High School, is remembered by her loved ones as her case continues to be a painful, unanswered question.
