MALVERN, Ark. (KTHV) - One year ago, a murder in Malvern left a family seeking both justice and a woman's missing body.
The family of Suzen Cooper held a vigil Tuesday evening at the Hot Spring County Courthouse to help bring justice to her death.
There were balloons tied to trees, candles wrapped in scripture, prayers from the community preacher, and it was all for her.
Cooper was allegedly murdered on September 26, 2016. Her body was never found and police are still searching for the person responsible for her death and so is her family.
“My main priority is I want my sister found and her body laid to rest," Misty King said. "For her sake, her kids sake, her grandkids sake, and all of our sakes.”
At the Cooper family vigil, both friends and relatives laughed and cried over shared memories.
“Suzen was always upbeat, laughing, and being silly. I know my sister would want us to remember her just that way,” one of her younger sisters said.
“My mom tried to get onto me and ground me and it didn't work and so I got grounded from Suzen and Suzen had nothing to do with it but that worked and I straightened up,” King said.
Coopers best friend, Tammy Edwards, said one year later, Cooper's death hasn't gotten any easier.
“She's not coming back, the phone isn't going to ring, she isn't going to step through that door, and the texts aren't going to come,” Edwards said.
She said won't give up until her friend's body is found and brought home.
“We've never had the peace of putting her to rest and giving her that dignity. She's laid wherever she's at for a year and we're not giving up until she comes home,” Edwards said.
The family is offering a reward for anyone with information on who is responsible for Cooper's death or for anyone that can point to where Cooper's body is located.