The Family of 19-Year Old Keith Warren Found Hung on a Tree 29 Years Ago in 1986 Seeks to Have Case Re-Opened

Washington, DC — Sean Bell. Amadou Diallo. Trayvon Martin. Keith Warren. These four men and countless others have no familial or formal relationships, but their lives are interconnected as they each were victims of a grave miscarriage of justice by those who were to protect and serve their communities.

On July 30, 1986, the lives of the Warren Family, their friends, and Montgomery County Maryland community would be impacted forever as they were informed of tragic news that Keith Warren – their ambitious 19-year old son, brother, cousin, and friend – was found hung on a tree. After a brief (less than 24 hours) and “reckless” investigation, Keith’s death was ruled a suicide by the Montgomery Police Department.

Because of the amount of neglect and unanswered questions surrounding Keith’s death, his mother Mary spent the remainder of her life seeking “justice for Keith”. After her death, the torch was passed to his sister Sherri. Now, 29 years later, the family is asking the Montgomery Police Department to re-open the case to seek accountability and justice into the death of Keith.

On the family’s web site at www.KeithWarrenJusticeSite.com, there are documents/texts which outline some of the pressing issues still left unanswered and unproven. For example, how can a man nearly 6 feet and 5 inches tall suspend himself in a tree that was double-bent twice his weight? Why was the same tree that his body was found on cut down shortly thereafter? Why? Furthermore, and the question that has caused them to really raise their voices again on behalf of Keith is; how is an official investigation and ruling found legitimate if it is based on falsified allegations and hearsay? In short, the family says that the investigating detective used information from unnamed, unrelated, and unverified sources to rule Keith’s death a suicide 5 hours prior to notification of next of kin.

His sister, Sherri Warren, has this to say: “From the perspective of American history; Keith’s story is not unfamiliar. In fact, it hits home almost daily. If in our society, social justice is defined as an ‘act’ or ‘set of institutions’ that are implemented in order to ensure that individuals are both fulfilled in their societal roles and receive what is due from society; America, we have fallen short. This does not mean that positive change and transgression in social justice is unattainable. We merely must take it one step; one victory at a time. Hopefully, with your support, Keith’s story and re-opening his case will be one step in the right direction. And even when this fight is won; we still have much work to do. Simply put, time is overdue in putting real closure to this case.”

For more information and documentation about the case, please visit www.KeithWarrenJusticeSite.com.

PRESS CONTACT:
Sherri Warren
The Keith Warren Justice Foundation
202-643-6233
sherri.warren1@gmail.com