Nearly nine years have passed without an arrest in the hit-and-run that killed Akeera Shanks. The 29-year-old was walking along 40th Street Southwest in Lehigh Acres sometime between the late hours of October 21 and the early morning of October 22, 2017, when an unknown driver struck her and continued without stopping. Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers still lists the case as open.
Akeera had been with her ex-boyfriend earlier that night, then decided to walk home after an argument. Her older sister, Tiana Anda, later said Akeera called their mother that evening. When the family could no longer reach her, her mother drove through the area looking for her and repeatedly called her phone. She did not yet know that Akeera was already lying along the road.
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Around noon on October 22, a bicyclist discovered Akeera facedown near 40th Street Southwest and Rena Avenue South. Investigators determined that she had been struck hours earlier and left there for at least half a day. Authorities said the vehicle likely sustained front-end damage, but no description specific enough to identify the driver was released.
Investigators Still Need The Driver’s Identity
Detectives received several leads in the early stages of the investigation, but none resulted in an arrest. Crime Stoppers later said investigators had reached a holding pattern and believed someone in the community likely knew who was responsible. Coordinator Trish Routte said there was a “strong likelihood” the driver lived, or had lived, in the Lehigh Acres area.
Akeera’s family continued trying to keep her case visible as the years passed. They worked toward placing a pink memorial bench near the intersection where she was killed, with the hope that children waiting for the school bus there would have a safer place to stand. The tribute also kept Akeera’s name connected to the stretch of road where her life ended.
The reward for information in Akeera’s case has since increased. Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers now offers up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest. Tips can be submitted anonymously, and the organization continues to list Akeera as one of its unsolved homicide cases.
Akeera Shanks: What To Know
Anyone with information about the driver who struck Akeera should contact Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office can also be reached at 239-477-1000.
Please share this story about Akeera Shanks to continue bringing attention to her unsolved case. She is our sister, and her life matters.
Case Number:
Agency: Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers
Phone: 1-800-780-TIPS (8477)
Email:
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