WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Six-and-a-half years later, Parker Moore's mother says she isn't sure her son's case will ever go to trial. Leah Mass says she blames the Houston County District Attorney's Office for poor communication and inconsistent messages.
Moore was shot and killed while working at the Barberitos on Watson Boulevard.
More than a year later, Franz was sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing a third person.
Maas wants to know why Franz hasn't gone to trial for her son and Patel's killings.
"For me, I feel like the leadership in Warner Robins in Warner Robin, Houston County and Middle Georgia in general did my son a disservice from the very beginning," Maas said. "He was murdered in your town and your state and your area, and then they're continuing to do him an injustice."
Maas says she misses her son. She says prosecutors are telling her one thing about the case and telling something different to Moore's father who lives in South Carolina.
"We came to the realization that we're not being updated the way we should be," Maas said. "He might be updated with something that I wasn't and vice versa. I just don't feel like that's right."
We reached out to Houston County District Attorney Will Kendall. He said the following in a statement.
"The case remains active in our office as we work towards a trial. I and leadership from my office have flown the family into Atlanta to discuss the case with them and remained in contact when updates are available. Given the serious nature of the case, it is not a quick process to bring it to trial. Because the case is active, I am unable to speak about the facts of the case."
Maas wasn't aware that her son's father was flown to Atlanta to discuss the case. She says she's called the DA's office multiple times and has been told by the secretary that someone will reach out to her.
"He could take five minutes and give me a call back," Maas said.
Maas says the county has failed her, her family and the community. She says she also reached out to other county leaders to tell them about her son's death with hopes they can help.
"These events rocked this city and I think that a lot of the people in the community would be shocked to know we have not seen justice," Maas said.
Maas' son was killed around the time when George Hartwig was district attorney. Now, she's dealt with two district attorneys since her son died and fears she might go through another and Franz won't go to trial.
"This is going to be the third DA since all of this. I don't even know what prosecutor we're on," Maas said.
Maas hopes Kendall will help the new DA Eric Edwards, who will be in office in January, put Franz before a judge, so there can be justice.
"I hope that Eric Edwards will reach out to me and Parker's father and keep us updated equally," Maas said. "I don't feel like we should have to compare notes with one another so we both know the same things."
Kendall sent a statement related to the communication of the case.
"I would like to add that understandably, this case involves tragic facts and high emotions. My office has met all of our obligations as to victim notifications as we work diligently to bring justice for Parker."
Kendall could not estimate when the Franz case may go to trial.
"That's up to the judge," he said.