The Valley’s Forgotten: The families still waiting

EDITOR'S NOTE: For part one of The Valley's Forgotten, click HERE.

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) - For the families of murder victims, a cold case isn't just a file sitting on a shelf. It's a daily reminder that someone, somewhere got away with taking a life.

One of those families is still searching for answers in the murder of Yunique Puckett.

Investigators say Puckett was shot on January 17, 2017. Afterwards, the home was set on fire, burning her body.

Her mother, Laurie Clancy, said it happened only hours after Puckett's daughters left to spend time with their father.

"I didn't even get to see her after. They kept telling me you don't want to see her you don't want to see her, but that's my baby," Clancey said in an interview with KYMA.

Years later, details of that night are still difficult to talk about.

"I got a phone call, and I couldn't even tell you who it is from now. I don't remember. And they said- your daughter is gone," Clancy said, holding back tears.

She wants people to remeber her daughter who was a mother, and a friend that helped people when they needed it most.

While the case remains unsolved, she hasn't stopped hoping. Recently, the case gained new attention when the FBI offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.

"An FBI agent calls me and says they were reopening the case, and that they were gonna offer a reward to try to get some information," Clancy said. "I asked him, at the time, if he had any new information and he said no, but they're hoping that they get a renewed interest in it."

That hope is what keeps families and friends going. The belief that someone somewhere knows something, and that one day, the phone could ring with the answers they have been waiting to hear.

Investigators say many cold cases are solved because someone finally comes forward.

If you have information about an unsolved crime, authorities urge you to contact law enforcement.