West Columbia (WLTX) - A West Columbia mother is grieving the death of her son, and says she needs justice to find peace.
20-year-old James Lybrand's body was found early Sunday morning alongside Old Wire Road in West Columbia. Lexington County deputies are calling his death a homicide. He was shot in the face.
Fighting back tears, his mother, Maybee Harris can't believe her son is gone. "We just want him home. I want him to come home," said Harris. Deputies believe Lybrand was trying to find a ride home from a friend's in the early morning hours Sunday. In the meantime he started walking. He was shot and killed just a few blocks from his mother's house. "I need to know who did this to my baby. I need to know," said Harris. The Lexington County Sheriff's Department says because of Lybrand's criminal past, nothing is ruled out as to why the shooting happened, including gangs or drugs. However Harris says that's absolutely not the case. "Anyone that knew Jimmy knew he was not in a gang and no he did not do any drugs."
Harris says Lybrand was working to put his life together in hopes of gaining custody of his two children who are one and three-years-old. "Jimmy was trying to get his life straight so he could get his boys home. That's all he talked about, that's all he wanted."
Tuesday, the family gathered to mourn together.
"I want whoever done this to get caught. He didn't deserve this. Everybody who knew Jimmy loved Jimmy."
Lybrand had a fiance who is expecting his third child.
If you have any information that could help Lexington County authorities with this investigation, call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC, text "TIPSC" plus your message to CRIMES, or log onto www.midlandscrimestoppers.com .
11/4/2009 12:21:23 PM
