Atmore family seeks answers a year after their loved one’s murder

ATMORE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — It’s been a year since Jatyrain “Tank” Tolbert was killed on Brooks Lane in Atmore. Tolbert’s family held a balloon release at the site where he was murdered — to remember him and get more answers in the investigation of his murder.

Yellow and black balloons filled the Atmore sky Thursday evening — in honor of Jatyrain Tolbert, who was shot and killed last year.

“He was a funny person,” Tolbert’s aunt, Shirtha King, said. “He just loved to dance. Love to cut up. Loved to race. Loved to eat. He was just an overall good person.”

Family members gathered at the site on Brooks Lane where Tolbert was killed — putting a memorial in his honor.

Atmore Police say that Tolbert was in his car when he was shot multiple times. He leaves behind two young daughters.

“This is my sister’s only child,” King said. “This is where she has to look at him. Look at this. She can’t talk to him anymore. She has to look at this every day. She has to go to a grave and talk to her son.”

The suspect, Antonio Pettaway of Mobile, was charged with murder, and he was indicted for the crime in November of last year.

“Pettaway’s mom get to look in his face!” she said. “She gets to talk to him. She gets to ask questions. She gets to hug and kiss on him. We don’t have that no more.”

“At the end of the day, he was my baby,” Tolbert’s mother, Tamarra Tolbert, said. “I want justice for him. That day when he left, he asked me, can he go to the store? And that’s what he was supposed to have did, but he never came back.”

Tolbert’s family hopes after gathering Thursday night, they can get an update on their son’s case.

“We haven’t heard of anything,” King said. “We have not gotten answers. We would call (police) often just to be told that it’s a waiting game. And we understand it’s a waiting game.”

According to court records, Pettaway is back in court on Oct. 17.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.