MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio — As time continues passing them by, Mohammad "Mo" Hammad's family still aches as his case remains unsolved.
The Maple Heights Police Department was dispatched to the 5100 block of Miller Avenue around 10:45 p.m. on June 23, 2024
Upon arrival, Hammad was found lying in the driveway of his home with a gunshot wound.
Maple Heights Fire and EMS personnel arrived to provide medical aid, but Hammad was pronounced dead at the scene.
No arrests in Hammad’s murder have been made, and there were no “main suspects" when we asked Maple Heights Police Chief Todd Hansen in July 2024.
“We are following up on some leads. The tips have been minimal but steady. No motive verified yet,” Hansen previously told me.
I reached out to Hansen again on Wednesday for updates in the case, but didn't hear back.
One of Hammad's brothers, Isa, told me, "Any of my siblings will tell you I told them we weren't gonna find out because I could kind of see how it went from the beginning."
Isa claims the initial detective working on his brother's case was put on a different case, which he believes delayed justice.
"He's (the initial Maple Heights PD detective) given me everything that I've asked for, and I personally think that he's done everything in his power to solve my brother's murder," Isa said. "I've never voiced any frustration towards them because I get it. You're just doing a job with the resources that you're given."
It's now been a year since Hammad's death, and his family is still reeling.
"There was a void in the beginning, but I got four other siblings to fill that void. The void that'll never fill is when I look at his kids' eyes. To this day there's a void. No amount of gifts, not the amount of jokes, not the great memories will ever fill that void," Hammad's other brother, Mustafa, told me with tears swelling in his eyes. "That's what hurts the most."
Isa described the last year as difficult.
"I didn't even spend Father's Day with my own kids. I made sure I got his kids, brought them here, we took them out for ice cream because coming to the realization that day that they don't have anyone anymore is hard," Isa said.
What sits with this family heavily is that no one has been arrested for Hammad's murder.
"Here we are a year later, no answers. It seems like it just kinda got swept under the rug. He's just another statistic and that's probably the part where the disbelief comes from. He was a pretty important person. He was a good person," Isa stated.
Mustafa said that while he feels immense sadness, he has also felt forgiveness.
"I'll be honest. I gave up. If nothing populates in two days, the percentage of being caught is against you. Maybe there's a good reason why God doesn't want us to know why," Mustafa added.
There's always that inkling of wanting to understand, though.
"Maybe forgiveness can come with understanding and if I knew why maybe I'd be a little bit more willing in that scenario," Isa stated. "I've always felt very secure in faith, but it almost makes you doubt it a little bit because the lack of understanding just left me with a lot of questions. An explanation feels deserved."
Faith is what's holding this family together. Through their belief that Hammad is in a better place and that whoever caused his demise will have to answer to a higher power, they are able to breathe a little easier.
"I'm okay with suffering for the rest of my life and not knowing and not ever finding out because I know at the end of the day that I get the last laugh," Isa said.
There is a glimmer of hope that someone will come forward with credible information, as the Cuyahoga County Crimestoppers is still offering a $5,000 reward.
As this family continues waiting for answers, they say they are okay moving forward because they can feel Hammad's presence with them all the time.
"He populates in our dreams," Mustafa said. "I had my first dream about him like a week ago. My mom walked in with him and in the dream I knew that he was dead and so I just started crying and he just patted my head smiling. He's definitely still here."
Both Mustafa and Isa said that while Hammad may no longer physically be present, each family holds a piece of him through their personality, blood, and demeanor.
Hammad's five children will continue his legacy.
There's also a new addition to the Hammad family! Mustafa and his wife gave birth to a boy two months ago and named him Mohammad, after his brother.
"It’s like God took away a Mohammad from us a year ago and then he just added a Mohammad two months ago," Mustafa shared. "Mohammad was special. He was special and he’ll never get to experience that."
If you have any information regarding Hammad's murder, you can call Cuyahoga County Crimestoppers at 216-252-7463 or the Maple Heights Police Department at 216-662-1234.
Hammad's family said they are also open to receiving any tips or information.
