Family honor South Bend couple murdered outside bar with memorial ride

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - On the heels of three homicides in the last four days, love ones are riding in memory of a South Bend couple who was shot and killed nearly five months ago.

Brandon Smith and ShaeLeigh Zeiger were murdered outside a bar near the corner of Ewing and Franklin back on December 19th, 2021.

“No parent should have to bury their children,” Michael Scott, Smith’s father told 16 News Now hours after his son’s murder.

Just four days away from the 5-month anniversary of their murders, pictures of Brandon and ShaeLeigh were plastered on flags, t-shirts and tables outside VFW Post 360 in Mishawaka Sunday morning.

It is the same place where a memorial ride in their honor and eventually stopped in the very spot both were shot and killed.

“Two lives are lost, we have two mothers without their children,” Olivia Hudson, a family friend told the crowd of people there to pay their respects.

Among them, the parents of Both Brandon and ShaeLeigh stood side by side.

“I appreciate everyone showing up and showing support for these two kids that lost their lives over something stupid is what it is,” Scott said.

While revisiting the scene of the crime brought tears to their eyes, it also brought anger and frustration for both families knowing the person who murdered their children still walks free.

“They were wrongfully taken for us and it’s been going on five months and we have been left in the dark,” Scott says.

“But the police have known since day one who did it and they just not have arrested or did anything,” Belinda Holcomb, Smith’s mother added. “They are running the streets. He got to spend Mother’s Day with his mother and I had to spend it at the cemetery and that is not fair. They didn’t get to go home that night but that man did. It’s just not fair and I don’t think it should take this long,” Holcomb says.

The South Bend Police Department says its Violent Crimes Unit handled the investigation and has forwarded findings to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

However, no arrests have been made at this time.

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