DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — On the day of a balloon release and candlelight vigil for a Springfield man who was confirmed dead Monday, his family remains grateful for the community’s efforts to find him.
Justin Smith, 28, had gone missing on Jan. 29 while making a food delivery. His body was discovered on March 22.
“A horrible day,” said Smith’s mother, Patty Murnahan. “Like, I hate that day now. Like the worst day of my life.
“It’s crazy. I have so many thoughts going through my head. Unbelievable.”
Cassandra Klett, Smith’s sister, remembered him as a brother who always had her back no matter what.
“He was a sweetheart,” said Klett. “He had a heart of gold. He was my go-to for everything.
“I needed help with technology I didn’t know how to do, so I called my brother.”
Smith’s family is now searching for answers with so many questions still lingering.
“Like, we want to know why there’s so many questions in our heads,” said Amanda Ovando, another of Smith’s sisters. “Why? How? Like, I don’t know. I just…we want to know what happened.”
Ovando said the family will carry on his legacy with his kids.
“We’re going to…he’s going to live through his kids,” said Ovando. “We won’t give up on him or his kids. He was amazing.”
Springfield Police said they are investigating the death as suspicious.
The vigil an balloon sendoff begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
