CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) – Fall 2022 was a great time for sweethearts Dianna Sykes and Tiquan Smith, whose other love was the Los Angeles Chargers football team. She has fond memories of their trip to the FedEx field in Maryland a year earlier, where she recorded a selfie video of a period in the game when the Chargers were ahead of the Commanders.
“They played against the Redskins (Commanders) in D.C. and he was so excited he was sitting there cheering them on,” said Sykes.
Memories of that pleasant afternoon still bring joy to her eyes, but since Nov. 20, those eyes are often filled with tears.
Sykes said she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the trauma she experienced when she was an earwitness to her boyfriend’s death.
She was on the phone with him on the evening of Nov. 20 when he complained that a truck on Interstate 64 was following too closely and had blinding headlights. Sykes said Smith took the South Military Highway exit, as did the truck driver.
“I said, ‘Babe what’s happening?’ That’s when I heard the noise. From what I understand it now, they were gunshots,” Sykes said. “I kept saying, ‘Babe what was that noise? What’s going on? I just hear him, like I said, take a deep breath like he was snoring, and that was it.”
Shortly after his death, 10 On Your Side introduced viewers to members of his family who demanded justice.
Smith’s mother told 10 On Your Side their calls to the police have not been returned and she has not heard from police since the night her son was killed.
Sykes said she last heard from police three weeks ago. While the case remains under investigation, Sykes said she is fearful the person who fired on her boyfriend could strike again.
“Since this happened I’ve never been afraid really to drive at night, now,” Sykes said, “and that wasn’t too late when that happened, so it makes me nervous to be out late at night, especially. Every time I go past South Military Highway now, the memory is there. “I just try not to go that way at all.”
Chesapeake police spokesperson Leo Kosinski released a statement in response to the family’s concerns.
“Our Detective has been in contact with family members in reference to the case,” the statement said. “The family has all of his contact information and full access to him. “He has been providing updates of the case to the family.
“The case is still under investigation, and no further updates are available at this time. Should the investigators deem that releasing any video footage would be beneficial to the case, then I will send out an update with the information.”
Chesapeake police told 10 On Your Side the case remains under investigation, and that if anyone has information on the case, they ask people to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-UP.
