New development in San Francisco cold case
New clues give hope in 22 year old San Francisco cold case
There are new developments in a 22-year-old San Francisco cold case. Investigators say they believe new evidence could lead to whoever killed Kelvin Hamilton, the father of a three-year-old girl, who is now an adult. The victims sister says shes in constant contact with police to make sure her brothers case is not forgotten.
SAN FRANCISCO - The family of a San Francisco man who would have celebrated his 49th birthday Tuesday hoped renewed attention on his killing will help solve the stabbing that claimed his life more than two decades ago.
Police said he was killed in a neighborhood park.
A cold case investigator said there is a new development in this case.
The victim's sister said she's in constant contact with police to make sure her brother's case is not forgotten.
"Hey Karen, how are you?" said police investigator Daniel Cunningham as he hugged Karen Napitan, the victim's sister at Crocker Amazon Park, the scene of the crime.
They hope to shine a light on the killing of Kelvin Hamilton.
He was attacked in the parking lot of the park almost 22 years ago.
"It doesn't go away," Napitan said. "You want some closure. It's been years."
In the early morning hours of Nov. 15, 2001, Hamilton was with three people at the park, police said. It appears an argument led one to stab Hamilton, according to investigators. Police said the 27-year-old managed to stumble for two blocks trying to make it to a friend's home before collapsing.
"It was really rough," the victim's daughter, Mariah Hamilton, said. She was only three at the time, but she recalled her father feeding her before going out that night.
"Wish I said goodbye instead of going back to sleep," said his daughter.
Kelvin Hamilton was killed nearly 22 years ago in a San Francisco park. Police say now there has been a potential development in the unsolved case that could lead to an arrest. (KTVU FOX 2)
Cunningham says they are retesting DNA evidence in and around the scene. Investigators say Hamilton likely knew the person who killed him and that police know who he was with at the time. But they say at this point they still don't have enough to solve the case.
Police say there is a new development involving someone who was there that night.
"Recently, one of those persons came forward and gave us some information we didn't have 22 years ago," Cunningham said. The passage of time may encourage witnesses to talk, he said. "Connecting that with some new information we got from citizens and new evidence we're going to retest, that possibly could make the connection to go forward and make an arrest."
"It says 'Daddy's girl,'" said Mariah as she pointed to the tattoos on her forearm. "Daddy's girl" was written in Chinese, a tattoo Mariah cherishes of a father she said she didn't get a chance to know. The family said their quest for answers has never faltered.
"It hasn't been easy. Somebody knows something. If you have any compassion in your heart, just come forward and do the right thing," Napitan said.
Kelvin Hamilton was killed nearly 22 years ago in a San Francisco park. Police say now there has been a potential deveopment in the unsolved case that could lead to an arrest. (KTVU FOX 2)
Cunningham said he's working on increasing the reward from $100,000 to $125,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.
The family said they will never give up hope.
Anyone with information, contact SFPD Cold Case Investigator Daniel Cunningham at 1-415-553-9515.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU.