A Nova Scotia family is marking a painful anniversary today.
It has been one year since 26-year-old Ben Hare died on a Truro Street, and his family says they are frustrated that justice hasn't been served.
His uncle, Rob Hare, isn't looking forward to the next Hare family reunion without Ben, who he says was always the life of a party.
"It's a terrible loss, we miss the kid everyday," he says. "There's not a day that goes by that we don't shed a tear for that boy."
Hare was found dead at an apartment building on Lyman Street, near Victoria Park, just after 2 a.m. on Thursday, July 8, 2010.
"It was no brawl, it was a brutal murder," says uncle, Mike Pryor. "I feel the justice system has let us down, has let Ben's family down quite a bit."
Dustan Joseph Preeper, who was 22 years old at the time of the attack, was charged with second-degree murder in Hare's death. The charge was later withdrawn by the Crown, saying more police investigation was needed.
CTV Atlantic's calls to the Truro Police Service were not returned on Friday.
His family says there is too much violence on the streets of Truro and it's time for someone to stand up and fight it.
Family and friends are planning a peaceful march through the streets of Truro Friday night. They will walk to Victoria Square where they plan to hold a candlelight vigil.
"We want to let people know exactly what's going on and we want to light a fire under the authorities' behinds to get this thing going, get some charges laid," says Rob Hare.
Mike and Rob say Ben's death will continue to weight heavily on the hearts and minds of his family and friends until someone is finally held responsible. They say Ben's death has had a devastating effect on his parents in particular.
"It's totally changed them," says Rob Hare. "They're not the same people they were."
For now, they say they will remember Ben as a talented musician, son and role model.
"He was a talented, very responsible young man," says Mike Pryor. "What a shame."
With files from CTV Atlantic's Garreth MacDonald
