PREVIEW: The emotional toll of Rockford’s deadliest year

ROCKFORD (WREX) -- 2020 was Rockford's deadliest year, you've likely already heard the number, 36 people were murdered in the Forest City last year.

You've heard from police, the mayor and more.

Wednesday at ten, we introduce you to the families who lost someone in 2020, because with 36 people killed come 36 families with heartache.

"When we lost him, a lot of people lost him," said Lisa Valentine. Her fiancé, Clifton Totten, was shot and killed on May 4.

Rebecca Trimble's son Cameron Dunlap was shot and killed two weeks later on May 16, she still goes to the gas station where he was killed on the 16th of every month.

Tasha Finklea's son, Eric "O'Shea" Elliot, was gunned down while walking with his kids in August. Still, to this day, no charges have been filed in the case.

"He will never get the chance to watch his children grow up," His mother Tasha Finklea said.

The Macklin's lost their son, Da'Mavlee, when he was shot and killed in September. His father, Amavlee, says his son's death taught a lot of people that "the streets weren't for them."

"My brother gone, my other brother gone, some more people gone," Amavlee said. "There's a whole story to tell about 2020."

We share that story, Wednesday at ten on 13 WREX.