$250,000 Reward Offered in Unsolved 2016 Murder of Man Who Stopped to Watch a Mural Being Painted

Nearly a decade after a young man was fatally shot while watching an artist paint a mural on a San Francisco street corner, investigators are making a renewed appeal to the public, hoping that a significant financial reward will finally help uncover the truth.

Keron Lamotte, 22, was killed on October 7, 2016, in the Oceanview neighborhood of San Francisco, California. According to police, he was standing near the intersection of Plymouth Avenue and Broad Street, watching an artist work on a mural when the shooting occurred at approximately 7:06 p.m.

Another man was also wounded in the incident.

Now, the San Francisco Police Department is offering a $250,000 reward for information that leads to the identification of those responsible and the filing of criminal charges. The announcement, made on October 8, 2026, marks a renewed effort to bring answers to a case that has remained unresolved for years.

A Phone Call His Mother Never Forgot

For Lamotte’s mother, Pecola Jones, the tragedy is not simply an unsolved criminal investigation. It is the loss of her only child and the future she believed he still had ahead of him.

In a previous interview with KTVU, Jones recalled speaking with her son shortly before his death. Lamotte had called to ask what she was doing, and she told him she was cooking. He said he was planning to come over.

But he never arrived.

Jones later described her son as someone who cared deeply about his family and enjoyed sports, fashion, and spending time with other people. She said he had ambitions and dreams he was working toward, making his death even more difficult for those who loved him.

Witnesses Reported Seeing People Flee

Investigators previously said witnesses reported seeing several people running away from the area, along with vehicles leaving the scene after the shooting.

However, authorities had not identified a witness who directly saw the shooting take place, leaving important questions unanswered.

Police have continued seeking information that could help establish what happened that evening and identify those responsible. Despite the passage of time, the case remains an open investigation.

The reward has increased over the years. In 2021, it had reached $100,000, but the latest announcement raises the amount to $250,000 in an effort to encourage anyone with relevant information to come forward.

A Family Still Waiting for Answers

For Jones, no financial reward can replace her son. Yet she has continued to hope that someone who knows something about the killing will eventually speak up.

She has also expressed a wish to see her son’s face added to the mural he had been watching on the night he died, creating a lasting tribute to a young man whose life was cut short.

Anyone with information about Keron Lamotte’s murder is encouraged to contact the San Francisco Police Department’s Homicide Detail at 415-553-1145. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 415-575-4444 or texting TIP411 with the message beginning “SFPD.”

Nearly ten years later, investigators are still looking for answers, and a family is still waiting for justice.

Source: PEOPLE