2 years later, east Atlanta murder remains unsolved

ATLANTA — A family quietly placed flowers on a southeast Atlanta street Monday, remembering the site where a young man was gunned down in cold blood two years ago.

The family of Patrick Cotrona spent the day printing T-shirts and beer glasses with his likeness.

Atlanta police say someone attacked 33-year old Patrick Cotrona and his roommate as they walked from their May Avenue home to East Atlanta Village in May 2013.

The gunman shot both men in an apparent robbery attempt. The roommate survived. Cotrona did not.

"There are times I can push the sadness away so I can carry on for the moment and get through the days," said Cotrona's sister Kate Cotrona Krumm.  "The grief is heavy in my heart, and I know that's true for all of my family."

Krumm visited the site on Memorial Day to leave flowers.  She also showed the T-shirts and beer glasses they had made to remember her brother.

Each one has a caricature of Cotrona someone drew of him before his death. The family discovered the drawing as they were going through his belongings after the murder. Shortly after his murder, his father drank a toast to his son, and his words stay with the family.

They're also printed on the shirt and glass.

"The first toast my dad said was, ‘Cheers to Patrick,' and we wouldn't not say it after that," said Krumm.

"So any time we get together, we always say, 'Cheers to Patrick.' Rather than making a sad tribute in memory of, we just decided that would be more endearing and make us think of a happier time, toasting to him wherever he is."

Cotrona's murder shocked many people in East Atlanta and sparked anti-crime rallies. Atlanta police said the case remains open, but there have been no arrests.

Channel 2’s Richard Elliot is speaking with police and Cotrona’s family about the investigation on Channel 2 Action News starting at 5.

WSBTV