One year after grandfather and Army veteran Joseph Gatto was shot to death inside his Southern California home, his son helped name a highway in his honor on Wednesday as police reminded the public of a $50,000 reward to find his killer.
Joseph Gatto, father of State Assemblyman Mike Gatto, was killed inside his home on Bright Lane in Silver Lake on Nov. 12, 2013. His daughter found him the next night.
The slaying prompted dozens of Los Angeles police detectives to investigate the case as his son pleaded for the public's help.
"Somebody walked into my dad's house and shot him," his son said. "He worked hard to raise us right."
Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles, joined city officials Wednesday at LA County High School for the Arts, founded by his father, to name part of the San Bernardino (10) Freeway as the Joe Gatto Memorial Highway.
"While we cannot rest because his case is still unsolved, today we get together to celebrate my father and all of the good that he did." Mike Gatto said.
Joseph Gatto was a retired art teacher and jewelry maker remembered by his students at the ceremony.
"The last time I communicated with him was Nov. 12, 2013, and I told him that I was so thankful for everything that he had taught me," former student Malaika Latty said. "I just was so glad that he heard that."
LAPD officials told NBC4 on Tuesday they have recovered physical evidence in the case and hope that will solve it, but they would not reveal what that evidence is.
The department reintroduced the $50,000 reward to find the killer at a Wednesday afternoon news conference.
"This is one of the rare times where the public's help in solving a murder is crucial," Mike Gatto said at the news conference. "In fact, it might be the only thing that can solve the case at this point."
LAPD officials say they believe the killer may have left Los Angeles and could be in the Bay area, Las Vegas, or San Diego, Teague said.
"We just need one more piece of information leading us to the right person and will put it together from there," said Lt. Walter Teague, of the LAPD's elite Robbery-Homicide Division.
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The killer is no more than 25 years old. Police said he threatened to kill two of Joseph Gatto's neighbors while breaking into cars the night of the slaying.
"This guy has talked," Mike Gatto said of the killer. "He talked to a girlfriend, a boyfriend."
Mike Gatto said that while he is heartened to hear the developments, he wants to stress they still need the public's help to bring the case home.
"This is something that has rocked this community to the core," Mike Gatto said. "I would like the community to get some of its innocence back."
Gordon Tokumatsu contributed to this report.
