Robert Ryan, who was an aspiring model in Hollywood's LGBT community, was killed last year by a hit-and-run driver -- but investigators still have no suspects and very few clues.
Now, his mother is pleading for witnesses to come forward -- alongside a $50,000 reward -- with further information that could lead to the arrest of Robert Ryan's killer.
Ann Ryan says she'll never recover from the death of her only child, who was 24 years old.
"The person that ran over my son did not get away with anything because God saw," Ann Ryan said.
The Oxnard native was struck and killed around 3 a.m. on Dec. 6 while walking along Ivar Avenue, just south of Hollywood Boulevard.
His mother said she's haunted by the call she got from the coroner the next day.
"I was screaming and crying and rolling on the floor," Ann Ryan said. "He said my son had been positively identified."
News
Top news of the day
Robert Ryan, who was gay, had moved to Hollywood just three weeks earlier and was staying at the LGBT Center's Youth Shelter.
The Los Angeles Police Department released a photo of Robert standing behind a DJ at Lure Nightclub, taken just hours before his death. Detectives are hoping to talking with the other people in the photo to see if they might have witnessed the accident or can help give investigators a timeline of Robert's night.
His mother found the photo on the nightclub's Facebook page.
"He was happy. That was hours before he was run over," she said. "I was happy to see that picture."
Police said they have no surveillance video that shows the accident and have had trouble getting witnesses to come forward.
"You get hold of them, then when you try to call them again, they mysteriously the number was disconnected or addresses that we may have had that we went to track a particular witness, where that person allegedly didn’t live there anymore," said LAPD officer Olin Osborne.
Robert was known around Hollywood as a club promoter, but his acquaintance Kris Williams said some in the LGBT community, particularly homeless youth, don't trust police, which may explain why witnesses haven't come forward.
"I do feel like there's probably a lot of people who do want to come with the information, but it's just probably the cops and the lack of justice around this community," Williams said.
Anyone with information in this case can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or submit a tip online. Tips can be anonymous.
