FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — The preliminary hearing for the 14-year-old charged with first-degree intentional homicide in connection with a shooting earlier this month was postponed.
The 14-year-old suspect currently doesn't have a lawyer and is requesting a public defender. Both parties agreed to push back the preliminary hearing to next month so he can have legal counsel.
Sitting in the courtroom during this status conference was the family of 20-year-old Tatyanna Zech, who was shot and killed earlier this month.
“To lose her life so tragically, it's just senseless,” her uncle Antonio Godfrey Sr. said.
Her sister-in-law Hannah Brace said the past few weeks have been difficult for the family.
“I think everybody is still at that point where like, is this even real?” Brace said.
They arrived in court wearing shirts with photos of Tatyanna, which included her last photo taken and her mother’s favorite photo of her.
They said they are making sure their beloved sister and niece is remembered.
"Her life does matter. Her life did matter. She is not just another statistic. She's a human being and people loved her,” Godfrey said.
The family said they've been in contact with detectives and have been closely following this case.
"We're hoping that if people have any information they will come forward with it and share it,” Brace said.
All this, while keeping Tatyanna’s memory alive.
“This goes back to when she was born… I remember the first time I held her, it was just joy and love. And she took her hand and wrapped it around my finger. And when I went to hand her to my brother, she wouldn't let go of that finger. And that's a memory that I will always cherish and that's just… to see her laying in that coffin, and watching that… was just a vision, or a pain, that I would never want anyone else to feel,” Godfrey said.
Police are still searching for another suspect in this case—17-year-old Antonio Johnston.
