CROWLEY — Friends of a Crowley teenager who was murdered are still trying to come to terms with his death.
Fifteen-year-old Vontre Phillips was shot inside his home on Harry Fuselier Street. It happened Tuesday morning with officers arriving to the scene shortly before 7 a.m.
Police believe the shooter walked up to the house and fired multiple shots into Vontre's bedroom window, which is located in the back of the house.
Investigators are still trying to determine if the shooter acted alone.
So far, there have been no arrests.
The teenager's death came as a shock to those who knew him.
"[It] still doesn't seem real. It's just unbelievable," said Crystal Savoy, who says Vontre was a like a son to her after being friends with her children for years. "We have a lot of stuff going on right now, but I just never, ever would have thought 'Snoog.'"
Vontre's friends say he was quiet, yet bubbly, and didn't mess with anyone.
"He always kept a smile on his face," said Vontre's friend Davonte Michael. "Every time you see him, he's laughing and joking with you. [He] always kept a smile."
Now, those who call Vontre family are dealing with the grief from losing him.
"We were up all night. We talked about how we were just waiting for him to come through the door," said Savoy. "This is actually the longest, I think, that it's been that we didn't see him. He would usually come by the house everyday, and we'd see him. So, we just keep waiting for him to come through the door, and then it will hit us every now and then that he's actually gone."
Vontre's friends say they will continue to tell stories about him to remind themselves of the type of person he was.
"We just gotta keep his name alive. That's it," said Davonte. "Long live 'Snoog.' All we gotta do is keep his name alive."
Police Chief Jimmy Broussard says he's optimistic about the case because they've received several tips.
If you have any information about this crime, call the Crowley Police Department at (337) 783-1234 or CrimeStoppers of Acadia Parish at (337) 789-TIPS.
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