CBS3 Mysteries: Charles Maude III's murder "wasn't mistaken identity"
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A father gunned down as he sat in his car. It's been more than a year since Charles Maude III was killed in Kensington. There are still no arrests.
Maude's parents contacted CBS3 Mysteries because they do not want their son's murder to be forgotten.
Charles "Chuckie" Maude III is remembered most for his love of the holidays.
Halloween was his favorite.
"This kind of gives us a place to come and decorate," Jennifer Meleski, Maude's mother, said. "I just feel close to him here."
This festive memorial stands outside the Kensington home where the Maude family lived long ago.
Jennifer Meleski and Chuck Maude Jr. struggle to think their son -- a dad to two young girls -- is no longer here.
"Chuckie was one of the most caring, kindhearted lovable people in the world," Maude Jr. said.
On the morning of March 12, 2021, Jennifer Meleski says Chuckie dropped off his daughters and headed to Kensington.
Police say the 24-year-old was in his car at Madison and Emerald Streets.
Jennifer provides this account from investigators:
"Two guys, they drove up Madison Street," she said. "They went to the next hundred, parked. Walked up the block, walked down here, walked past Chuckie, went to Willard Street turned and then came back and about a minute later walked up to Chuckie's car and just shot him."
Jennifer says one shooter's gun jammed while the other stood there brazenly firing off shots into the car. They then fled.
After the shooting, the investigation shows the two gunmen ended up at 2nd and York Streets. They were traveling at a high rate of speed according to eyewitnesses and then crashed a white sedan into the side of a business they then took off.
Does Jennifer think he knew his killers?
"110%, without a doubt. He wasn't mistaken identity," Jennifer said. "They executed my son, they executed Chuckie. Why? I don't know. I know everybody says he was such a good kid. He really was, Chuckie did not have enemies."
Chuckie died two days after the shooting at Temple University Hospital.
"Parents aren't supposed to bury their kids," Maude Jr. said.
This family reached out to CBS3 Mysteries, hoping to keep the case in the headlines.
"Sooner or later we're hoping somebody breaks their silence and speaks up," Maude Jr said, "and tells us why all this happened, why would somebody want to take our son from us, a father from my granddaughters?"
The family misses trips with Chuckie to the beach, or just picking out pumpkins.
"I miss his help with his little brothers," Jennifer said. "I miss his laugh so much. He could be so silly when he wanted to be. And his silly, goofy laugh is so infectious, even if you were in a bad mood you just had to chuckle. I just miss everything."
Do you have information that could help Philadelphia Police solve this homicide case?
Call 215-686-TIPS.
There is a $50,000 reward.
"We are never going to stop, I am never going to stop," Jennifer said. "We are not going to stop until we have justice."
