Mother to retrace her son's last steps. Four years later, she's still seeking justice

On the fourth anniversary of the killing of her 22-year-old son, Techea Adams isn’t remembering him quietly.

Instead, Adams will be walking the Compton streets where he took his last steps in the hopes of drumming up more tips for investigators. She knows that someone in the neighborhood must have seen something that day. 

“I’m just hoping that they have some compassion and open their mouth,” she said.

Starting at 2 p.m., Adams will begin her walk at her former home at 1705 E. 126th St.

She will then walk east to where her son was shot, stopping at the exact spot at the exact time of his death.

On the morning of July 23, 2015, Atkins blew his mother a kiss before he stepped outside his home to go running with a friend.

Moments later, another neighbor pounded on her door, informing her that he had been shot.

Atkins was hospitalized for four days and died at 2:22 p.m. on July 27.

Detectives haven’t made an arrest but released a photograph of a possible suspect's vehicle in 2017.

Authorities have previously told The Times that the gunman was in his late teens to early 20s, with several tattoos on his back. Two or three other men were also believed to have been in the car, which was last seen going west on El Segundo Boulevard.

Surveillance cameras captured images of the car as well as a two-tone, maroon/gray SUV, possibly a Pontiac Aztec, which might have been following along.

Atkins was a student at Long Beach City College. He loved to travel.

Adams has since moved out of Compton but said she will not give up the fight to find who shot her son.

She has even set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for a reward, in addition to the $10,000 that the Los Angeles County supervisors are offering.

“I have to get justice for my son,” she said. “I want them to see what they’re doing. Maybe if they see my pain and they see other people’s pain, then they’ll wake up.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @nicolesantacruz and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.