Shielding her son, silenced by a bullet: The 8-year search for Destiney Bocanegra’s killer

BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (WINK) — For most, the sound of a trickling fountain at a memorial garden represents peace. But for Raul and Lisa Vega Alva, that sound is a hollow reminder of the justice they haven’t found in 2,922 days.

Every April 21st, the Alva family gathers at a gravesite in Lee County. They come to celebrate the life of their daughter, Destiney Bocanegra, who was killed eight years ago. They also come to remind the world that her murderer is still walking free.

A Mother’s Final Act

On April 21, 2018, 25-year-old Destiney Bocanegra was standing in front of a home in Bonita Springs with her then four-year-old son, Mikey. When gunfire suddenly erupted, Destiney didn't reflexively dive for cover. Instead, she followed a mother’s most primal instinct: she ran toward the danger to shield her child.

Destiney was shot and killed while holding Mikey in her arms. At the time of her death, Destiney was also pregnant with her second child.

"She died as a hero," says Trish Routte with Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers. "She died protecting her son. She died doing what a mother’s instinct is."

A Family Frozen in Grief

For the Alva family, time has both stood still and moved cruelly forward. Mikey is now 12 years old. While his memory of the moment may be blurred, the emotional scars remain vivid. His grandmother, Lisa Vega Alva, says the pain is still "20/20" for the young boy.

"He gets real emotional," Lisa said, describing Mikey’s reaction to seeing memorial shirts made for his mother. "He closed his eyes and there were tears."

For Raul Alva, Destiney’s father, the last eight years have been a battle to maintain composure. "Sometimes I get nasty thoughts where I have to keep my composure to move forward for my family," he admitted. "No parent should ever bury their child."

The Wall of Silence

Despite the passage of nearly a decade, investigators believe this is a solvable case. The obstacle isn't a lack of evidence, but a wall of silence in the community.

Trish Routte emphasizes that people know exactly who pulled the trigger that night in Bonita Springs.

"This is one of those crimes that is solvable because people know who was involved, they know what happened, but they are not talking," Routte said. She issued a plea to anyone who might have been protecting the shooter in 2018: "The person that you are now may not be the person you were eight years ago... You’re hopefully a different person now and can look back at the situation and go, 'I need to get this off my chest.'"

How You Can Help

The Alva family and law enforcement are pleading with the public to break their silence. Even the smallest detail from eight years ago could be the missing piece of the puzzle.

• The Reward: Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
• Anonymity: You can provide information without ever giving your name.
• Contact: Call 1-800-780-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at the Crime Stoppers website.

As the wind rustled the flowers at Destiney's grave this week, her father had a final, direct message for those with information:

"All I’m asking is for if anybody knows anything, come forward. Quit being a coward. The crime is already done."

For Lisa, she says she will never stop demanding justice.

"No parent should ever have to bury their child. For us to keep going through this if wer had that justice it wouldn’t bring her back but it would bring us closure.”