PORTLAND, Ore. — Memories and old photographs is all Misti Stuckey has left of her 21-year-old son Skyler. He was shot and killed in Portland’s East Columbia neighborhood on New Year’s Eve. A community in Albany — where Skyler was from — is grieving his loss while searching for answers and trying to move forward one day at a time.
Portland police told KGW there is no update on the case and have not released details on what led up to the shooting. Skyler’s mother Misti said someone paid her son to drive two people to Portland that night. The shooting happened once they got to Northeast Faloma Road near the intersection of Northeast 13 Avenue.
“He apparently needed the money, and he had nothing else better to do and he loves to help people,” she said. “There’s no other pain like it. No other pain like it…I don’t think his acquaintances were very honest with him and I think that’s what caused the most of it,” she added.
“He had goals, had friends, he impacted this community so hard,” she said.
Skyler’s pregnant fiancée told KGW in an email that he was so excited to start a family and that he was the most loving person she knew.
“He touched hearts everywhere he went he always made an impact on somebody somewhere…he would have been a great dad,” Misti said fighting back tears. In high school in Albany, Skyler was on his cheer quad and is remembered by his friends as someone who liked to make people smile and could light up a room.
“It feels stupid and pointless. I don’t know what the world is benefitting from his loss. I know we’re just suffering from it,” said Sally Karbstein, who's a close family friend.
They are now left with only memories and a need for answers.
“Nobody’s going to get over this, but we will get through it,” said Karbstein.
“We need justice. We need answers. We need closure,” added Misti.
Portland police are still investigating. They haven’t arrested anyone connected to this shooting and are asking anyone with information to contact them. As for Skyler’s mother, she hopes those with him in the car that night will call her just to give some closure. “Now that this happened, I won’t ever go to Portland again,” she said.
There is a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs along with a community meal train for the family.