Mom of 3 was fatally shot in Miami months ago. Her family seeks help solving the crime
.jpg "Jane Downs Humphreys is pictured with her sons, Leon Smith, 11, left and Jayden Smith, 10.")
It’s been more than nine months since Jane Downs Humphreys was found shot to death on the side of a road in Little Havana, and her family is still waiting for answers.
“It has been very difficult since her passing,” said her uncle, Theogene Downs, at a news conference Friday. “We need to have closure and the only way we can do that is if someone saw something that night when she was gunned down with seven or eight bullets to come forward and say something.”
At about 10 p.m. Jan. 27, police responded to the area of Southwest 35th Avenue and Fifth Street to reports of a shooting. The 35-year-old mother of three was found with gunshot wounds. She was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where she died.
Armando Aguilar, assistant Miami Police chief, said Friday that detectives need help from the community to solve the crime.
“We are here today with a grieving family who lost a beautiful 35-year-old woman who was a mother, a niece, a daughter,” he said. “We are talking about someone who was needlessly killed. Jane did not deserve to die and to hear about this case, to hear what the family is going through, should really anger everybody.”
Downs Humphreys’ 16-year-old daughter, Zarria Downs, said life has not been the same since her mom was killed. She said it has been even harder consoling her younger brothers.
“My mom was my best friend,” she said. “That was the one person I really care about.”
Aguilar urged anyone with information to come forward.
“It’s important for Jane’s family, as well as every member of the public, to know that we are not going to forget Jane. We are not going to forget any of our murder victims,” he said. “We will work this case forever if need be, until we bring the person responsible to justice.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the Miami Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 305-603-6350 or Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
This story was originally published November 5, 2021 at 3:29 PM.
