WSVN — If only the Olazabals could rewind time, go back to the day a dad laughed and played with his two daughters.
Caridad Leon: "He adored his daughters, he adored them, they were the most important thing, more important than me, and they were always together."
When Caridad took these vacation pictures in Tennessee, she had no idea the memories would have to last a lifetime.
Caridad Leon: "It's been very difficult, especially for my daughters, they need their dad."
Forty-eight hours after the pictures were taken, Onelio was back in Miami Lakes at a small farm that he managed, the same place where he kept his own animals.
Caridad Leon: "He loved horses. His dream was to have a farm, a big farm to raise horses."
But, on that day when Onelio went to collect rent from other people who also kept animals there, someone else had something else in mind.
Detective Juan Capote: "Based on the information I have on this point, I would have to say that more than likely the cause will be some type of robbery type of motive."
Juan Capote was one of the first detectives on the scene. Also called there, Caridad to identify her husband.
Caridad Leon: "When I got there he was dead."
Caridad Leon: "To this day, I don't know who. I don't know anything. I don't know who could have done this."
That was seven years ago detectives investigated, but there were no witnesses. No one could point to the killer. In fact, there is no sign of the Miami Gardens farm either. It's a subdivision now, and the landscape isn't the only thing that has changed. Sadly, so has life for Onelio's family.
Jenny Cruz: "It has destroyed my aunts, my cousins. Everybody is not the same. The parties are practically sad, there is no light at the party no more."
Detective Capote hasn't found the killer, but he truly believes that person will be found.
Jenny Cruz: "Waiting for what we like to call the magic phone, the phone call wherever it may come, whether it comes from a guy in jail, or whether it comes from a witness who has had an attack of conscious, and we get that phone call, and, based on that phone call, we get the case closed."
He keeps looking for the killer because that's his job, and he can't forget Onelio, Caridad won't let him.
Detective Juan Capote: "So, yes, this particular case is always sort of in the front of my brain, because she does call in on a regular basis, and I like to be able to tell her something."
Of course Caridad will never forget a laughing father, a loving husband, a great friend.
Jenny Cruz: "He was the life of the party. He was always laughing, always had jokes at every party. Everybody was waiting for him because he was always the one to have everybody happy."
So important to his family that seven years later they are still devastated by his death, still hoping and praying for an answer.
Caridad Leon: "I would like for someone if they know something, to please let us know because this is so hard, because I would like to know who killed him and why."
Who and why Onelio Olazabal was murdered in Miami Gardens seven years ago? If you have any information, if you think it's time to make a phone call, Miami-Dade detectives would love to hear from you, and if you worry that a loved one who was murdered has been forgotten, give us a call. We will never stop.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Out for Justice MIAMI-DADE: 305-598-HELPBROWARD: 954-796-HELP