Rochester/Gates N.Y. - Matthew Sanfilippo was always helping people, his mother tells us. She says every night her son would ask her if she needed anything.
Lena Sanfilippo says Matthew also did outreach for his church and helped get people
"off the street" so they could lead better lives. She believes, his kindness may have gotten him killed.
Matthew was shot in the back on Orchard and Jay Streets at 1:30 in the afternoon on New Year's Eve. His family says he had just gotten out of his car when he was hit.
His body was found in a nearby yard. His car was still running when police arrived.
Police believe robbery may have been the motive. Family members say the killer took about $200 in cash and a gold chain.
Yolanda Shlegel had seen her brother earlier that day. "I said goodbye, it's New Year's Eve, I'll see you later. I never saw him again."
She never found out what happened until almost 10 o'clock that night. Police had gone to Matthew's mother's house but she was in Florida.
Yolanda feared something was wrong when Matthew didn't return her calls later that day.
Now she realizes, police had the cell phone, which was found in Matthew's car.
Lena Sanfilippo says her son was her world. She is pleading with anyone who saw anything that day, to come forward.
"I just want answers...I need answers...it is the worst nightmare for a mother to bury her child."
If you have any information about this crime, call CrimeStoppers. That number is 423-9300.
