PONTIAC, Mich. – The murder of a 37-year-old mother in Pontiac has been a mystery for eight years, but police and family members aren't giving up the search for her killer.
Ruby Mae Terry was a mother, daughter and sister who was fatally shot in cold blood on March 13, 2010.
"In the evening -- it was cold and rainy that day, muddy outside -- dispatch sends out a call of shots fired," Sgt. Joseph Marougi, of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, said.
Police drove to the scene at 407 South Jessie Street in Pontiac, where they found a door kicked in and blood in the kitchen.
"Ruby was a good, real friendly (person)," said Ruth Jones, Terry's mother.
Terry and her son, Al, lived with Jones. Al was just 9 years old when his mother was murdered.
"I remember when she got shot," Al said. "I remember I was standing right next to her. I was touching her. We made it to the hospital. My jersey, my basketball jersey, was covered in blood."
Terry was pronounced dead at the hospital. Now, eight years later, detectives are still scouring over old crime scene photos, knocking on doors and looking for someone who knows something.
"There's somebody running around the streets shooting people, kicking in doors and shooting people," Marougi said. "I couldn't imagine anything worse than that."
Police believe the murderer walked up the ramp and to the front door of the home where Terry lived.
"I said, 'Oh no, it's somebody trying to break in,'" Jones said.
Jones said her daughter forced her into the living room and grabbed a gun before running back into the kitchen.
"They kept hitting on the door," Jones said. "Bam, bam, bam. They couldn't get in. They started to shoot."
A bullet struck Terry, who fell to the ground.
"When she was lying on the floor, she said, 'Momma,'" Jones said. "She looked up at me and said, 'Momma, I am dying.'"
A neighbor heard the shots and looked outside. He said he saw three or four black men, wearing dark-colored clothing, cutting between houses.
"They fled the scene that way, and the dog tracked them up and around, and that's where we found the evidence -- the mask and shotgun," Marougi said.
Who would want Terry dead? Her mother made a surprising admission in the case.
"My baby got hit, but the bullet was for me, and I know the bullet was for me," Jones said. "I was a numbers woman. It was a living. I know it was wrong."
"We have individuals on the street we believe know who did this," Marougi said.
Now that years have passed, police are hoping someone will come forward to tell what really happened that night.
"We're at a standstill right now, and we want justice for the family," Marougi said.
"If you have a heart, and if anybody out there knows, just call," said Lulu Moore, Terry's sister.
Anyone with information about the murder is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. There is a $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
You can watch Karen Drew's full story in the video posted above.