GREENSBORO, N.C. — The holidays are considered the most wonderful time of year for many but for those living without family members, especially due to violent crime, the holidays can be difficult.
This is the case for Robin Freedman who lost her brother Mark Freedman in 2020 to gun violence.
Now, all Robin Freedman wants for Christmas is to spend the holidays with her brother. That opportunity was taken away from her more than three years ago.
"Until the day I die. I want to find out what happened to my brother. It is my commitment to him," Robin Freedman said.
Mark Freedman was shot and killed outside his eatery, Mark's Restaurant off Dolley Madison Road in Greensboro, on Nov. 3, 2020.
According to Greensboro police, someone targeted Freedman after he closed up for the night.
To this day, Mark Freedman's murderer has not been found, leaving his murder unsolved.
"When you lose somebody in such a violent, horrendous way, you'll always think about why couldn't you have been there to say goodbye. That will continue to haunt me for the rest of my life," Robin Freedman said.
Robin Freedman said her brother was the kind of guy who enjoyed just being around people, playing golf, smoking a cigar, and that he truly loved Greensboro and being a chef here.
She also said Greensboro loved him back, so much so that the community came together and started the Mark Angel Foundation. The foundation has been in existence for three years and raised well over $100,000. The money made its way back into the community through different organizations.
Not only does Robin Freedman invest her time into the foundation, but she's in close contact with Greensboro police and has never lost sight of bringing justice to her brother's name.
"I keep in touch with the Greensboro Police Department. They’re very responsive when I reach out to them and I will not give up hope. I trust that they will solve this murder; they will find out who killed my brother. They are using advanced forensic technology that hasn’t always been available. So I truly, truly believe and I have hope that they will find my brother's killer," Robin Freedman said.
She acknowledged that the holidays can be hard for families everywhere, but no amount of family drama or arguments during the holidays can compare to simply not having a family member there.
"When people see my story, I hope they say to themselves, 'I'm so blessed. I still have my parents, my brother, my husband, my sister'" Robin Freedman said.
The current reward for any information leading to an arrest in this case is $50,000. You can call Greensboro Crimestoppers with any information you may have.