SAN ANTONIO — It’s been almost three years since someone gunned down a 24-year-old woman and a friend on the city’s east side.
Despite the time that’s passed, the victim’s parents remain optimistic a killer will be brought to justice.
It was an ambush attack in the early morning hours of July 15, 2018.
The San Antonio Police Department said it all started after Grace Seward and a friend got into a heated argument with some people at a club around 4 a.m.
When the two women arrived at a home off Gorman Street a short time after, another car pulled in behind them.
That’s when police say at least two people jumped out of the car and started shooting. Seward and her friend were both shot in the chest and were taken to the hospital. Seward died a short time later, but her friend survived.
Now, close to three years later, police are still trying to track down the killer or killers.
“We still don’t know what happened,” said Grace’s mother, Debra Steward.
Debra said her daughter was going through a tough time, but finally getting her life back on track.
“She got herself into trouble being around the wrong people,” said Debra. “We don’t want the turn of events that happened in her life to be her legacy.”
Debra and her husband, Butch, said they want their only daughter’s legacy to be about the cause to which she was devoted: being an advocate for young people.
Debra said Grace had always wanted to create a foundation to help youth in the city, and she wanted to start on the east side.
“Because there are victims everywhere, there are crimes going on everywhere, but I do know you have to start at home first,” said Debra.
Debra and Butch have recently created the Grace Seward Foundation in hopes of fulfilling their daughter’s vision.
“In the last few weeks, so many children, young people have been shot and killed in our city,” said Debra. “Why? It doesn’t make any sense?... Let’s try to combat all of the hate that’s going on.”
And, while putting an end to the violence is their goal, their hope is to find justice for their daughter.
“If I could talk to the executioner, I would urge him or them to turn themselves in,” said Butch. “Regardless of what he did, his mother does not deserve to go through what my wife is going through.”
Debra said the foundation will hold their first fundraiser for the Grace Seward Foundation on the anniversary of her death, July 15, 2021, at Top Golf.
Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 to anyone who has information that can lead to an arrest in this murder.
If you know anything, call San Antonio Crime Stoppers at (210) 224-STOP, or provide a tip online. You can remain anonymous.