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Waiting for justice: Katy family continues to wait nearly 20 years after deadly shooting
The parents of a 19-year-old gunned down at his fast-food restaurant job will likely wait longer to see his killer executed than the time their son spent on Earth. FOX 26's Randy Wallace explains.
KATY, Texas - Death penalty cases can drag on for years. The Virappen's from Katy wonder how much longer they must wait for justice.
Katy family waiting for justice in 2009 murder case
In May 2009, 19-year-old Ricky Virappen, the night manager at Popeyes, was shot six times during a robbery.
A now 59-year-old George Curry Jr., a former Popeyes employee, killed Ricky.
The backstory:
We first met Ricky's family in 2012.
At that time, they had waited four years to see Curry stand trial for capital murder. Ricky's parents say they never thought it would take almost two decades to see Justice.
"No. Did not think that at all," said his mother, Barbara Virappen.
The Virappens recently found out that Curry's state appeals are done and now on to the federal level.
A hearing happened months ago though they knew nothing about it.
"If I didn't reach out, we would have never known," said Ricky's brother Shawn Virappen. "For us to not get notified, but the defendant gets notified, that's not fair to us."
"They've had to do all the leg work," said Andy Kahan with Crime stoppers. "It shouldn't be that difficult to set up a system, like TDCJ does, when the perpetrator comes up for parole."
The Virappen's wait for justice will likely be longer than Ricky's time on Earth.
"We don't know if we will be here to find justice, we might be fine. This is terrible," his mother said.
"Today is my dad's 73rd birthday and I don't know when my parents will find justice," said Shawn.
The Source: FOX 26 Reporter Randy Wallace spoke with the victim's family.