Family still searching for answers 25 years after deadly Berkeley hit and run

OAKLAND, Calif. - Rick DeVecchi was just 37 years old when he was struck and killed by an unknown driver outside his family's business in Berkeley 25 years ago. 

The investigation revealed that a vehicle sped up before veering off the side of the road to strike DeVecchi on the corner of University Avenue and 2nd Street. The vehicle then drove back onto the roadway and left the scene. DeVecchi died several days later in a local hospital. 

Though it's been 25 years since DeVecchi's death, his family is still desperate for answers.

DeVechhi's brother, Randy DeVecchi, says that he has made peace with his brother's loss, but he and his family still wonder: why? Why Rick? Why did the driver have to hit him and flee the scene?

One thing that brings them some solace is the people who came out of the woodwork after DeVecchi's death; they shared the different ways that Rick had positively impacted their lives. 

"We had a note left in front of our business from a homeless person that said, 'This gentlemen used to charge my battery for me and leave me dinner,'" Randy DeVecchi told KTVU. The man experiencing homelessness said Rick's efforts meant he had a warm tent and a full belly every night. 

Though the case investigating DeVecchi's death is considered cold, the search for answers will never end for his family. 

"It's never out of our mind. I mean, we go to business at the property where it happened every single day," Randy DeVecchi said. 

Randy DeVecchi says that he hopes that his aging parents can get more closure surrounding Rick's death. He shared details about the car suspected to have struck his brother 25 years ago. 

The suspect vehicle is believed to be an early 1980s, American-made car. It may be a light-colored Cadillac with a dark top and a California license plate. Anyone who may know anything about the vehicle is asked to contact the Berkeley Police Department.