Remembering Shelby Luciano

A hit and run case in Waveland has yet to be solved after three years. The family is still grieving and just wants answers.

Shelby’s mother, Rose Luciano, said, “It’s still not fair. Most of us know, we know the beginning and the end, and I don’t know the end and it’s really a terrible experience to go through.”

Monday will mark an anniversary Rose Luciano would rather forget: the death of her 23-year-old daughter in the early morning hours of June 18^th, 2015. Police say a vehicle hit and injured Shelby Luciano as she was walking down Waveland Avenue. “To keep the perspective in focus, I’m not the victim here, yes I suffer. It’s a horrible tragedy, but the true victim here is Shelby,” said Rose.

Three years later, the person responsible for Luciano’s death has still not been identified or brought to justice, but that doesn’t mean the case won’t be solved.

Waveland Police joined Shelby’s mother, Rose, in a press conference Friday morning in hopes of getting new leads in Shelby’s death. Waveland Police Chief David Allen said, “It’s a horrible thing that happened and we really would like to bring it to a conclusion.”

City officials and Rose gathered at the site that Shelby was struck almost three years ago to remember the woman that she was. “No case is done. That’s why we’re here. This little girl deserves this so we will be working on this case forever. Until this is a closed case it is an open case,” said Chief Allen.

“There’s a monetary value here for someone if they are able to bring us in the right direction,” said Rose.

Rose and the police hope someone will finally come forward to receive the $11,000 reward being offered. They also hope to one day close this painful chapter in the Luciano’s lives, a memorial still stands at the site where Shelby was struck by that vehicle, keeping her memory alive.

At the memorial, Waveland Mayor Mike Smith pointed out a turtle laying eggs, encouraging Rose by saying this is a sign of life still growing in such a dark place.