Ten months on and despite six arrests, no one has been charged or brought to justice for the murder of Wolverhampton teenager Keelan Wilson.
The family of the 15-year-old have spoken out after Detective Chief Inspector Chris Mallett told an inquest that further arrests could be made in the coming weeks.
He told the hearing at Black Country Coroners Court that work to investigate the 15-year-old’s murder nearly 10 months ago is extensive and remains ‘consistent’ – despite pressure on resources.
Keelan was stabbed to death just yards from his home by an armed group of masked attackers.
He was ambushed while he was tending to a broken-down car at around 11pm on May 29 in Strathfield Walk in the Merry Hill area of Wolverhampton.
Keelan’s mother Kelly Ellitts said: “This inquest update is no different to the last update really. It’s just exactly the same with different wording.
“We were told months ago they would be making those arrests in a couple of weeks and now at the inquest they have said a few weeks again.
"Just every day you have to get through it and go through the motions.
“There’s people out there who acted like animals.
“You can stab somebody and you can do it with the intention to hurt them but not kill them. I think that happens a lot.
“But these boys will stab someone and hurt them, and it gives them a little bit of street credit. With Keelan, it was a pre-meditated attack.
"He was set up. He was outside his home, he was trying to come home. They attacked him, there was numerous of them that did it to him and it was a completely different situation to a lot of these murders.
“We have got a bunch of animals out there on the street, who are walking free. It is not safe for them to be out there.
"I just think Keelan's case should be a priority – the way that he was killed is horrific."
Keelan’s grandmother, Barbara Wilson, said: “I am never giving up, I know justice will be served.
“I cannot comprehend the pain what Keelan’s parents are going through. But as a grandmother I am feeling that pain.
Senior Black Country Coroner Zafar Siddique adjourned Keelan’s inquest hearing to allow police to continue their investigation.
A new hearing date was set for June 24.