SAN ANTONIO — Christopher Palmer remains committed to keeping alive the story of his second-grade classmate, who was murdered at a west side laundromat more than 30 years ago.
He’s working on building up a newly-formed non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the world knows about 8-year-old Jennifer Sue Delgado.
“We’re keeping her memory alive and we’re helping young students in the community with college scholarships,” Palmer said.
Palmer attended Westwood Terrace Elementary School and happened to be classmates with Delgado, whom he remembers possessed a bright smile and often wore a red Mexican-style dress.
“I just remember her being this sweet innocent girl,” Palmer said.
Palmer is asking for the community’s help in securing funding for a non-profit called the Jennifer Sue Delgado Memorial Foundation.
The primary focus is to provide college scholarships in Delgado’s memory while also educating the community on her story.
“Part of our fundraising activities will include raising funds for books for students at Westwood Terrace,” Palmer said. “Of course there’s information on the website about Jennifer, who she was – but also information about sketches of the suspect, what happened.”
Police say Delgado was helping her mother at a laundromat off Westrock Dr. and U.S. Hwy 90 on June 6, 1988.
According to authorities, a man became upset after the facility’s vending machine failed to dispense a drink and proceeded to stab Delgado in the stomach then attack her mother.
Delgado reportedly ran across the street to her family home for help but died from her injuries. Her mother survived.
Only a sketch remains of the unknown man believed to be responsible for the murder.
Palmer’s reflected on the tragedy with a desire to do more than just hope justice arrives. He’s hosted reunions and memorial vigils over the years in honor of Delgado.
He recently received an email from a woman who said she was 24 at the time of Delgado's death.
“She said I saw a little girl there, I saw Jennifer there with her mom. She’s there, sitting there. Her legs were just swinging back and forth," Palmer said.
But Palmer noted the woman had left the laundromat before the murder took place. Feelings of guilt overwhelm her all these years later.
“We can’t go back, and we can’t change what has already happened and she said she felt guilty and I said when you were thereat that moment, nobody knew what was going to happen," Palmer said.
He’s spent months working with the City of San Antonio to finalize the establishment of Jennifer Sue Delgado Memorial Way, a street designation near the site where his classmate was killed.
The plan is to host a community gathering once the city-approved street memorial is installed within the next few months.
Anyone with information that could be useful in the murder of Jennifer Sue Delgado, call the San Antonio Police Department's Cold Case Tip Line at 210-207-7401 or call Crime Stoppers at 210-224-7867.
People have the chance to nominate the Jennifer Sue Delgado Memorial Foundation to win $100,000 by visiting https://anciragivesback.com/.