When first responders arrived at the intersection of Novelty Street and Barron Avenue in Waco on April 22, 2016, they believed they had found a man who'd been tragically electrocuted.
But, as an autopsy later revealed, the AT&T worker they found lying in an alley did not die of a work-related accident. Instead, he had been stabbed 13 times in the back of the head and neck.
The AT&T worker was Kenneth Cleveland. He was 61 years old.
More than a year after Cleveland's murder, police have not located a suspect. Five of Cleveland's adult daughters recently sat down with Channel Six's Leslie Draffin for an interview. They spoke about their father's death and their subsequent quest for justice.
They described their father as the kind of dad every daughter wants.
"He put in 70 plus hours at work to support us all," Amber Cleveland said. "My mom didn't have to work. But he was at every game, never missed it, never missed it."
To Amber and her sisters: Drew, Pam, Rebecca and Mellisa, Kenneth was a hero and protector, which made the circumstances surrounding his death all the more difficult to hear.
"I remember after getting over the initial shock of losing dad, losing our hero, our dad, I remember that night sitting out here thinking wait a minute something's not right,” Drew said.
Her sisters agreed. Three days later they found out their father had been brutally murdered.
For Pam, it was like losing him all over again, only worse.
“It was just as horrible as finding out Friday that he was gone knowing that someone would take him," Pam said.
Cleveland's murder left his daughters dealing with many mixed emotions -- from anger, to grief, to depression and even fear.
“Our dad was taken in a way that no one should ever be taken," Mellisa said, while wiping a tear from her cheek.
"I can't have anyone stand behind me at a convenience store," Rebeca explained. "I'll wait 30 minutes and go to the back of the line over and over again because I don’t want anyone over my shoulder."
And while they keep their father’s memory alive, they know they’ll never get back what a murderer took away. Instead they’re hoping for closure and justice.
“There’s a criminal, a villain, an evil hearted person walking amongst everybody enjoying their life, their family, and we just need justice,” Amber said. “They need to pay for what they took from us.”
Waco Police would not go on camera for this story but confirm there have been no arrests, no new leads and no motive determined in Kenneth’s murder.
If you have any information about Cleveland's death, please contact Waco Police at 254-750-7589. You may also submit an anonymous tip by calling Waco Crime Stoppers at 254-753-4357. Tipsters can also submit confidential web tips by clicking here. Or, text "WACOTIP" plus your message to 274637. A $60,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person(s) responsible for Cleveland's murder.