Mobile billboard in San Joaquin County aims to help solve cold cases
TRACY — There are roughly 180 unsolved cases in San Joaquin County.
In Tracy, two people went above and beyond to try and help families find closure, or help law enforcement catch a killer, by using a mobile, three-sided digital billboard.
"One idea started bringing up and opening other ideas," said Emad Basma, the owner of the mobile billboard.
Besma is rooted in the Tracy community. He's a retired deputy turned businessman.
He bought that mobile billboard, but it's something you'd see in Las Vegas and not in San Joaquin County.
"I found out there's a lot more better ideas out there than business itself," he said.
The billboard definitely draws eyes and attention.
"I see the wow effect on their faces and to me, that's really priceless," Basma said.
That's how he connected with Leticia Galvan, who is working to honor her son, who was killed.
"There are so many homicides and missing persons out there," said Galvan. "We just want to bring awareness to them."
Her son, Luis G. Alvarez, was murdered eight years ago. They caught his killer, but Galvan knows that's not always the case.
"We didn't get the justice we wanted, but at least we got some justice, and some people don't even have justice at all," she said.
Galvan and her husband formed Luis G. Alvarez Rewards for Justice Inc., a nonprofit that fundraises to increase rewards for information leading to arrests in cold cases.
"When I saw this truck, I thought, 'Oh my God, that'd be great if it could roam the streets of Stockton, Lodi and Manteca where we have our rewards,' " she said.
Basma, with his 22 years of law enforcement experience, jumped at the opportunity.
"Right away, I said I would love to be a part of it," he said. "Money is not the issue here. What price can you put on someone's life?"
Basma did not charge Galvan for running the ads. So far, they have displayed at least a dozen unsolved homicide cases.
