HOUSTON — No matter the language, the Resendez family's grief is easily understood nearly three months to the day since 28-year-old Ricky Resendez suddenly died.
"This holiday is going to be hard for us," said mother Blanca Resendez in Spanish.
"I miss his laughter," said sister Brenda Resendez in English. "I hear it all the time."
They gathered with relatives, activists, and others Tuesday outside the criminal courthouse to demand charges and greater transparency.
"We need to have answers," said LULAC activist Ed Rodriguez. "We haven't had the answers that we want."
Investigators said Resendez was killed back on August 24 when Harris County Precinct 6 deputy constable Rigo Vivar struck Resendez's car while on his way to work.
They said he was going the wrong way on Canal Street at twice the posted speed limit.
"Killed him within one block of his house, and nothing's been done," said LULAC activist Agustin Pineda.
Vivar was later fired, according to a previous statement from Precinct 6. So far, no charges related to the deadly crash have been filed. The Houston Police Department said toxicology results were still pending.
"We're not giving up on this," said Brenda Resendez. "This is not going to fly under the radar for us, this was my brother."
Ricky was a brother, son, and dog dad whose life mattered and whose death, his family said, deserves resolution.
"Every chance we get, we're going to talk about Ricky," said Brenda Resendez. "We 're going to question why things are taking so long."
The Harris County DA's Office confirmed it has yet to receive the results of an investigation by HPD.
We asked HPD for an update on where the case stands but the agency did not provide any information as of Tuesday afternoon.