‘You’ll never forget it’: Charlotte woman pushes for justice 23 years after parents murder

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For 23 years, Toye Allen has carried the weight of not knowing who killed her parents.

In that time, she has tried to fight that pain by helping others as an advocate with a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police homicide support group. But now, she has renewed hope.

Channel 9′s DaShawn Brown spoke to her Friday and she said for the last ten years, she’s been checking in for updates almost monthly but heard nothing until now.

“I remember that day, vividly and in color,” Allen said.

For Allen, October 20, 1997 was one of the most significant days in her life and most tragic.

“I was giving birth and lost my parents at the same time, so that made it quite momentous,” she said.

Her mother, Alice Perry, and father, Graham, was murdered in their Franklin County home. Allen lives in Charlotte now, but on that day, was in the hospital nearby.

“When I got the news, I was still there waiting on my mom to call. But I didn’t get a call from her. I got a call from someone saying that they had been killed,” Allen said.

23 years have come and gone but not one has passed without the memory of her mother and father.

“You will never forget that loss. You’ll never forget it,” Allen said. “And it will change you forever.”

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Through CMPD victims' services, Allen, now an advocate herself, has been checking for updates on her parents case every few months. After the last check, she said she got her first glimpse of hope.

“And coincidentally, they did have an answer and a response, and I did get a call back from the Sheriff in that county, who is the person who investigated the crime when it occurred,” she said.

Allen said the development he shared, though small, is more than she’s had in years. But just enough, to restore her call for justice.

“We know that they will find justice in due time. We can’t predict when. We can just get prepared for the day that it does come. Even if it takes 23 years,” Allen said.

Channel 9 has been in touch with Franklin County investigators throughout the day Friday regarding any updates in the case. They confirmed that they spoke with the family regarding a person of interest, but they’re not to the point of naming a suspect.

Cox Media Group