POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – A Broward Sheriff's Office deputy gunned down two years ago was remembered during a memorial Monday morning.
Several hundred people gathered at the Pompano Beach Walgreens, located at 960 S. Powerline Road, where Sgt. Chris Reyka was gunned down on Aug. 10, 2007.
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"We need to stand united and voice our concern over the senseless killing of a dedicated law enforcement officer," said Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti.
Family members of Reyka said they are grateful that so many people are still thinking about the husband, father and brother. They said they remain confident that his killer will be caught.
"All of our lives will still have been affected, but there might be a small sense of peace brought to each and every one of us if justice is served," said Kim Reyka, the slain deputy's widow.
The ceremony was as much a memorial service as an opportunity for BSO to put the story back in the spotlight to generate tips.
Investigators believe Reyka may have interrupted a robbery that was about to take place at the drug store. He entered the tag of the suspicious vehicle, F168UJ, into his computer. As he got out of his cruiser, Reyka was shot five times.
Surveillance video of a white sedan seen traveling up Powerline Road moments after the shooting is the biggest clue left behind. For two years, detectives have searched for the vehicle and the gun used in the murder. The car has never been found, nor has the 9 mm handgun used to kill Reyka.
Sgt. Ken Kaminsky told Local 10 that the department has received more than 3,000 tips. "Our phones are still ringing," Kaminsky said.
Six months after Reyka's killing, two men were arrested in connection with a series of Walgreens robberies. They remain behind bars on robbery charges and are considered persons of interests in Reyka?s death. Kaminsky, however, would not say if detectives believe the men are behind the killing.
?Nobody?s excluded in our investigation," he said.
Reyka left behind a wife and four children. A $267,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the killer or killers.
"We believe somebody in the community knows what happened to the car. We believe somebody knows what happened to the gun in this case. We believe someone in the community knows the people involved," said Kaminsky.
"Chris was a person that was known to us in the agency. He was a fellow deputy, he was a Marine, he served his country," Kaminsky said. "Whatever we can do bring resolve to this case is our goal."
Lamberti plans to hold a public memorial each year on the anniversary of Reyka?s death until the case is solved.
Anyone with information about Reyka's death can report it anonymously to Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.