‘Please, just come forward.’ Family of slain Fresno mother pleads for justice in hit-and-run

A somber crowd gathered Monday night in southwest Fresno to remember a woman who was killed in hit-and-run and to plead for the community to come forward with information about her death.

“She was a loving mother and loved her family,” said Pastor D.J. Criner of Saint Rest Baptist Church where Lavonda Mosley was a parishioner.

Mosley, 55, was killed March 5 in a hit-and-run collision while she was crossing the street at the intersection of Elm and Grove avenues, just north of Jensen Avenue. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the vigil Monday night, Capt. Joe Alvarez said the case is moving in a positive direction.

No arrests have been made, but the vehicle that struck Mosley has been uncovered, he said.

Mayor Jerry Dyer was also at the vigil.

At the corner where she was struck, Mosley’s family and friends gathered for a prayer and also asked for those responsible to come forward. Mosley’s five children stood together grieving while wearing red shirts with their mother’s photo printed on them.

Alicia McQueen, Mosley’s oldest daughter, spoke in front of the crowd to plead with the person who killed her mother to come forward.

“She was loved and the community loved her.” McQueen said. “ I just ask the person who did this: Please just come forward because there’s a lot questions that I don’t understand. I don’t understand how you can hit her and not call anyone or render aid.

“So please come forward. Not just to give us peace and so we can have some kind of understanding, but so you can have some peace.”

A cross with Mosley’s name with candles was on display for the crowd to light and balloons were let go into the air in her honor.

“She was just always positive and loved life,” Criner said. “She loved life no matter what she was going through.”

Criner said he helped to put together the vigil to get the community to come forward. “To hit a mother and just keep driving, leaving her body in the street, shows a lack of compassion or care. We want the city to see that life was taken and a life was stolen from this community.”

This story was originally published March 16, 2021 at 5:00 AM.