Today would have been D'Lisa Kelley's 37th birthday. Instead, her family, friends and community advocates gathered to renew their call for justice, 12 years after her killing.

Kelley's body was found inside what was then an abandoned home in Oak Cliff after she was heard screaming during a phone call with a male voice in the background. More than a decade later, those closest to her say they are still waiting for answers.

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Lasondra Kelley, D'Lisa Kelley's mother, said the pain has never faded.

 She was cut up. She was beaten badly. They crushed her jaw. They crushed her hand,  Lasondra Kelley said.  We're going to find you. You can't hide forever. 


On Friday, Kelley again addressed the person responsible for her daughter's death.

 We're coming for you,  Lasondra Kelley said.

She also spoke about the lasting impact of the loss.

 That pain does not go away. Never let anybody tell you it'll get better,  Lasondra Kelley said.

Friends and supporters said they remain committed to keeping the case in the public eye.

Dominique Alexander, who said he grew up with Kelley, said her death inspired him to create the Next Generation Action Network. He is now leading efforts to encourage Dallas police to continue pursuing the case.

 We need justice,  Alexander said.

Civil rights attorney Sean Dardeia said advances in forensic science could provide investigators with new opportunities to solve the case.

 There have been many, many advancements in genetic genealogy and DNA testing that did not exist 12 years ago. Open up this case, retest this DNA,  Dardeia said.

In a statement, Dallas police said:

 Special Investigations Unit assumed responsibility for this cold case investigation, equipped with new investigative methods not available in 2014. We are committed to pursuing every lead to identify Ms. Kelley's killer and bring them to justice. 

Kelley's murder also led Texas to create CLEAR Alerts, which stands for Coordinated Law Enforcement Adult Rescue. The 

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