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Mother pleads for help finding son’s killer

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Oliver Adams was found dead in a stranger's backyard in the 5200 block of East Avenue S-4. Officials believe Oliver was shot while being chased from a nearby house party.
Oliver Adams was found dead in a stranger’s backyard in the 5200 block of East Avenue S-4. Officials believe Oliver was shot while being chased from a nearby house party.

LANCASTER – Oliver Duane Adams was a six-foot-four, physically fit 22-year-old, with green eyes and a gorgeous smile, according to his mother LaZima Hinton.

“My son was very charming, the girls automatically gravitated to him, so he had lots of female friends,” Hinton said. “He made everybody he was with feel special.”

What made her son so attractive to women may have made him a target for rivals at a house party that ended in Oliver’s murder, Hinton said.

“I believe it was jealousy related,” she said. “I think somebody was intimidated by my son.”

On Friday (Sept. 20), Oliver attended a large party at a house on the corner of Essex Drive and Charter Court in Palmdale.

“My son showed up to this party with about three or four beautiful girls, and my son was there to have a good time,” Hinton said. “I was told, when they got to the party, my son was searched to make sure he did not have any weapons.”

Sheriff’s officials believe Oliver had an altercation at the party that escalated into a shooting. Hinton says she talked to her son’s friends in an effort to piece the story together.

“From what I could gather, he was waiting on a guy to come outside to the front of the house, then someone ran out the house shooting, and my son started running,” Hinton said. “From the different stories I have gotten, it could have been anywhere from one to three people shooting at my son. I don’t know if they were gang members or what.”

Oliver was found around 9:45 a.m. Sept. 21, more than nine hours after "shots fired" calls came into the Palmdale Sheriff Station.
Oliver was found around 9:45 a.m. Sept. 21, more than nine hours after “shots fired” calls came into the Palmdale Sheriff Station.

Friends told Hinton they didn’t know Oliver had been shot while running away.

“One of his friends said she saw Oliver stumble as he was running, then he righted himself and continued to run,” Hinton said. “She said they looked for blood on the ground afterwards and they didn’t see any blood so they didn’t even have a trail to follow.”

Palmdale sheriff’s deputies responded to the party for a “shots fired” call around 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

When deputies arrived, party-goers scattered. Deputies searched the scene and found shell casings but no victim, so they wrote an assault with a deadly weapon report and left.

About nine hours later, an elderly Palmdale resident walked into her backyard in the 5200 block of East Avenue S-4, where Oliver lay motionless. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

“I found out that he died from a single gunshot wound to the back,” Hinton said.

Hinton said the incident has destroyed her life, and her entire family is devastated by the senseless killing. They are desperately seeking answers and pleading with witnesses to step forward, Hinton said.

“My son was brutally murdered, gunned down. And the people at that party know who did this. Please come forward, say something!” Hinton said. “If you’re scared, you can report anonymously. What if it was someone you loved?”

The emotional toll of Oliver’s death has been compounded by the financial strain, Hinton said.

The family is originally from Texas, but moved to the Los Angeles area in 2000, and then to Lancaster in 2007, Hinton said. When she moved back to Dallas two years ago, Oliver and his younger brother remained in Lancaster. Both were enrolled at Antelope Valley College, Hinton said.

Family members need your help to cover the cost of Oliver's burial.
Family members need your help to cover the cost of Oliver’s burial.

Hinton, a home healthcare nurse, said she is struggling to come up with the money to get Oliver’s body from California to Texas for a proper burial in his hometown.

“First and foremost, I’m trying to get him from the morgue. It’s about $3,000 alone just to get him from the morgue to a mortuary so that they can start the embalming process,” she said, adding that transporting the body is a lengthy and expensive process. Along with a gravesite burial, the total cost is estimated at $7,000, Hinton said.

Hinton has set up a PayPal account to receive donations that will help defray the cost of Oliver’s transportation and burial. A donation of any amount is deeply appreciated, she said. To donate to this effort, click here.

Detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect(s) responsible for the Oliver’s murder. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

Previous related story: Man chased, shot to death in Palmdale

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Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

56 comments for "Mother pleads for help finding son’s killer"

  1. Good morning, everyone. I am the mother of the young man that was chased, gunned down and murdered in this article. First, I’d like to thank the writer/reporter, M. Dilworth. Thank you for writing such an accurate article, and not embellishing it in any way. I truly appreciate you for painted the picture that was given to me based on the (pieces of) information I had received from those at the party that night, and based on what I know about my kindhearted and loyal son. I would also like to acknowledge and thank the readers who commented with compassion and what I consider common sense and an open mind: Cindy, Patti, Letlow, Kimmi (thank you tremendously for mentioning the donations; we’re still in need), Brandie, Christy & Darlene (there is an application process with V.O.A.V.C, and unfortunately, we haven’t received notice yet on if we have been or will be approved; I will look into Modest Needs so thank you for that link), Party Pooper (I was with you until you made that “hooker” comment; i’ll address that under your post, but for the most part, I agree with you), TLC in QH, Graceland, Sagitario23, G. Richards (loved the quote!!), Precious, Leena, breakinmyhouseBANGBANG, Derrick, Yahya Islam, TakeBackTheCity, and Maria. To my family: Quisey, Na’ilah, Janquise, and sweet Shay, losing Oliver like this, at his age, hurts deeply, and the pain is not getting better with time, but together, we will keep his memory alive and learn to celebrate the life and love we shared with him for these very short 22 years instead of continuously grieving our loss. I wish I could say when that day may come, if ever, but I cannot. I’ve read the OTHER, negative comments, and I am about to comment on each of them individually. I used to come on this site sometimes just to read the comments posted under other stories, and it has never ceased to amaze me that people can be so cruel and/or quick to judge others when they do not know the full story. But never have I seen a mother comment on here. It may have happened, but not to my knowledge, and I am so VERY eager to start commenting on the posts of those readers NOT mentioned here. You see, the bottom line is that my son went to a party with three of his closest friends. He went there to have fun, not a fight. He didn’t take a gun. Didn’t even have a gun in the car. Simply put, whatever the offense was, my son would have had to have defended himself with his fist. But he was not given that chance. Instead, a coward who was probably afraid to take an a$$ whipping (my son was not a coward, was 6’4 and VERY physically fit…check out his Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/oliver.adams.351 if you don’t believe me) decided to use a gun to eliminate who he considered to be a threat. My son ran as soon as the guy(s) started shooting; that turned on the prey/predator instinct and now I’m left to bury my son. So anyway, that being said, I’m making my way down the page to address certain statements. And now that I am commenting, please, feel free to reply to my comments. I look forward to the ensuing discussions. R.I.Paradise 1st Born.

  2. I agree 100% house parties aren’t safe anymore, Back in the 80s when I was coming up we use to be able to go to them and not have any problems and have a good time

  3. Who initiated this party? Was he invited there by these ” beautiful women”? Who no doubt knew the shooter (s ). I will bet he was set up by them, taken there to be killed that night. Just check out the possibility.

    • A lot of people initially believed, and some still do, that the young ladies that my son were with set him up. My son called me almost everyday, and the young ladies that he was with were close friends of his. Anything is a possibility, but I do not believe that any of these girls had anything to do with my son’s murder. I pray that everyone keeps in mind that this is an open investigation, and I trust that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Detectives that are working the case are following each and every lead. Until they come back with an arrest, I will not assume that these young women “knew” the shooter, set him up, nor took him there to be killed. As protective of them as he was, he was more like their big brother and best friend rolled into one. I seriously doubt if any of his friends would have led him to his death like one leads a horse to water; almost everyone that I have spoken with are grieving the loss of life of a young man that was “unique”, a “true gentle giant”, and a “best friend like no other”. You’d have to have known him to understand, Maria. But your concern is a legitimate one. I just don’t think it fits this particular tragedy.

    • These house parties need to be STOPPED altogether. OUT-LAWED, pointblank. In the these 6-7 years, house parties, nightclub gatherings have been resulting in killings. Was it not just last month here in Lancaster, that two young men were shot and killed, running for their lives because some house party turned deadly, as they seem to do without fail here in the valley?? One of the young men ran until he could not run any further, then dropped in the Joshua cemetery on Challenger & Lancaster Blvd. That’s where he died.. In a cemetery. Now, here’s another case of this senselessness!! It has to be stopped! A young man’s life snuffed OUT, because some no good,
      Low-life, ignorant black-hearted, demonic, soulless piece of s*** animal wanted to eliminate him for being physically impressive, attractive to the opposite sex. Jealousy, envy and plain blood thirsty is what it was. Stole this young man’s life! I swear, SWEAR that I will not hesitate to drop a dime on anything that looks like a house party getting started. If I hear anything about some BS house party scheduled to happen, I will do everything I can possibly to do see it prevented from happening. I pray others will do the same. NO MORE house parties for these murderous bastards… NO MORE.

  5. I hope the rapper Game sees this article & help out with funeral expenses & to the coward that shot him in the back! Your days are numbered I bet if they offer a reward somone at that party will start talking my thoughts & prayers go out to the family & his true friends

    • Thank you, Derrick. Because we are still trying to raise the funds to lay my son’s body to rest, we have had an ongoing campaign on both Facebook and Twitter to reach out to The Game and his #therobinhoodproject. If you would like to help us raise awareness, please take time to “Like” our page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/justiceforoliveradams, and then proceed to #therobinhoodproject, and/or go to Jayceon Terrell Taylor’s page and enter #justiceforoliveradams in his comment box. Please feel free to add whatever comment you’d like to support our quest for financial help. Even if you don’t do any of that, thank you for taking enough of an interest in my son’s sad story to comment.

  6. Love you brother u will forever live in everyone who loves you heart i really hope the people who wanted you gone pay for this…..i talk to you the same day n u asurred me you was ok n that ull b home to see ur big sis n that u loved me….but really God was getting up to say our good byes til its my time n im thankful to have been able to say bye i love you

  7. RIP Oliver. Its a bummer to go down with no friends.If you were my friend i’d dime out that sissy back shooter so fast.

  8. I have known Oliver for a long time and am so surprised by this. Oliver was a big young man but was not into confrontations, and avoided fights as best he could. He was a true gentle giant. His size and looks could be intimidating until you spent 5 minutes with him…he was mellow and fun. He didnt go around acting all macho..he just wanted to have fun. The girl who took him to the party, so she could see her family, should know who the coward was that shot him. It does not matter what the fight was about…could have been what chip tastes better…that part is not as relevant as the actions. Someone was looking for a fight, why else sneak a gun in….and he shot an unarmed man in the back….those are the things people reall need to be aware of. Most people do not like that our young people are going to parties..and wish the werent..however, if they do make that choice, shouldnt they be relatively safe??? That could be any number of young people lying there dead…it needs to stop. If men feel they need to fight then do it like real men…one on one… fists only. What is scary is the coward looking to shoot someone is still out there ..and what if it is our kids hangout he goes to next???? There are at least 2 involved since one helped the other sneak a gun in….and for what reason???? The argument was instigated and provoked b both these cowards…we need to have them taken off the street so our kids and their friends are all safe…..

  9. Having known Oliver Adams for many years, was a sweet,fun,guy, that people liked to hang out with.Woman. were drawn to him.. he was at the party to have a good time..and if true or not that there was an altercation at the party him being involved was unlikely,and was more of a lover than a fighter.and if was provoked he would have fought fair.Wether or not he should of been there is the point.Since the” people were searched” its obvious who ever snuck the gun in was looking for trouble to begin with.The Coward who shot nd killed Oliver must have known Oliver was unarmed…

  10. “Can’t figure it out — do you want to be like me or do you want to be me?” says Jesse James to Robert Ford — and that’s kind of the rub right there. The story is a known one. While dusting of a picture, Jesse James gets shot in the back by Robert Ford, hence the epithet of coward — you shouldn’t shoot people in the back. It’s just bad manners.

    From the movie “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)”

  11. Detectives should get all the people at the party together because a lot of those people know who did it. Everyone has a phone with a camera I am sure one of them even have pictures of that night.

  12. Let’s just be honest here (and no disrespect to the family)…the young man was not killed because of his looks. That is just ridiculous. I know every family member wants to believe their loved ones are perfect angels. There must have been some type of confrontation involving him at the party. That’s not to say he started it or did anything wrong. It could have been that one of the ladies he was with had an ex at the party or something. Maybe there was some disrespect in some aspect. Obviously the only people that know are the people who were there. But he most definitely wasn’t randomly killed because he had a beautiful face. And another thing…if people have to be searched at the door for weapons, it’s an obvious sign that it’s a bad crowd. Common sense would tell you not to walk inside. I’ve never been to a party where I had to be frisked first. It’s obvious that this group of people weren’t good people. Of course nobody will come forward…because the crowd are a bunch of gun wielding criminals. If they were model citizens, there wouldn’t be worry of a weapon at a party.

    • I am glad you posted this, because I tend to rant and say things that come from frustration and dont come out to nice.. But you worded it just perfectly… and I agree with you 100%… I feel for the family, and its really sad they are struggling to get him home for a proper barial….

    • I disagree – jealousy can be a huge factor among young males these days, especially when one of them is drunk/high and has a gun, sometimes all it takes is for them to see something you have they they want to make them angry enough to confront you in hopes of a disrespectful response, so they now have an excuse to pull their gun and act like a big shot. It could be a girl, an Iphone, a car.. whatever makes them jealous.

      If people were frisked, how did the killer get the gun in? was he possibly a friend of the people who lived there and got the gun from them when the confrontation occurred?

      I know people don’t want to come forward because of the “No Snitching” rule that’s been taught to our young people by thugs, but the only reason that rule exists is so that those same thugs can victimize people and get away with it, which I am sure sounds really cool, until its YOU or someone you care about, who becomes the victim.

      • I am not saying jealousy of some sort didn’t have anything to do with it. I am just saying….a group of men didn’t just say “hey, that guy is handsome…lets kill him”. Especially if they didn’t even know each other. Women are more likely to kill because another womans beauty and probably know each other. Men don’t do that. Nor do strangers. That’s why I said something else had to be behind the killing. And I personally do not believe they were jealous of what he had…because there was no mention of a robbery occurring. They never said that anything was stolen from him. If they killed him because he had something they wanted, they would have taken it from him. Otherwise there was no point in shooting him. I really believe that it had to do something with “disrespect”. The shooter must have felt like this man disrespected him in some way. Maybe it was because of the women he was with or maybe he said something that pissed someone off. Who knows! But he wasn’t simply killed because someone thought he was handsome.

        • You weren’t there, and neither was I. Sorry, but your guesses are not any better than mine. At the end of the day, they’re still GUESSES, unless you were there. And again, with the condescending insults. Are YOU serious?! Does your common sense tell you that I believe that a group of men said “hey, that guy is handsome…lets kill him”? The article told you, clearly, that the “Sheriff’s officials believe Oliver had an altercation at the party that escalated into a shooting”. You sure do have a lot of speculation for someone that was not there. I wonder if you knew someone at that party that told you something that most of us are not privy to. Maybe the homicide detectives need to be interviewing YOU. You certainly have a lot to say. I know that I and none of his other family members that weren’t there DON’T KNOW who killed him or why. The possibilities, at this point, are endless. I could’ve wasted the reporter’s time with a grocery list of “possibilities”, but I chose not to. When I said girls gravitated towards him, THEY DID! He was absolutely charming, always had a smile on his face, and was forever helping his friends. From house sitting to baby sitting to paying bills. But thats not the point. OF COURSE there was a reason that he was shot and killed. But can we let the police do THEIR job and find the killer(s)? Can we let the attorneys do THEIR job and find the truth…the answers to the questions WHY? Can I imagine that my son ran into someone at that party who may have lost a girlfriend, or two, or hell, maybe even THREE, to my son? Can I envision that at this party, a guy became upset because my son was holding captive the attention of a young lady that another may have been interested in? Is THAT possible, Veroni…I mean Heavenly Father? People, please! Can y’all at least THINK before posting this RIDICULOUS comments on these stories? Oh, and by the way…when one person shoots another person for no reason, its called a SENSELESS shooting. They happen, hon, and last weekend, it happened to MY SON!

    • @ Veronika, very well said and I agree with you 100%.
      AND like “Gotta_Job”, I’m glad I didn’t put my foot in my mouth
      before I read your reply, because boy was I! :)

    • I’ve learned that whenever someone says “no disrespect”, it’s because they know that whatever is about to come out of their mouth (or in this case, from under your fingertips) is going to be just that…disrepectful! At no time during that interview did I say, or even imply, that he was “killed BECAUSE OF his looks” or because he has “a beautiful face”. You actually are the one that comes across to me as ridiculous, because you have my interview in print and you still chose to infer things that were never stated or implied by me. The writer never wrote that I said “he was killed BECAUSE OF his looks”. First, one definition of “related to” is “connected in some way”. As Kimmi pointed out, I am out of the state; as Patti stated, “You want an answer as to why did [your child] have to die”; and saving the best for last, as Cindy stated “unless you were there, you cant say that WASN’T the reason”. Well, were you there? Do you know who shot and killed my son and why? Smh. Moving right along, would you mind pointing out for me in which paragraph I stated that my deceased son was perfect? If I’m not mistaken, this article was about what happened to my son on ONE night, and how we want #JusticeForOliverAdams; this article was not about his life story. So now, back to the “no disrespect comment”: you HAVE disrespected me, this time by insulting my intelligence AND my sense of reality. Did you know that jealousy can stem from more than just “a pretty face”? You also IMPLIED that my son did not have common sense because he walked into a party in which he was searched. I’ve never seen a metal detector at a party, but I can understand the host of the party trying to make sure that the party goers were there to have a good time, and therefore enlisted his security to do patdowns. If I was a kid nowadays, and I went to a party, I think I’d be more scared to go in if there wasn’t some sort of security screening measure in place. I’ve been to airports, schools, court houses AND clubs in which there were metal detectors present. Thanks to terrorists, safety measures have been increased in certain venues. Would you say that people who travel by air, students in schools, visitors of courthouses and clubbers lack common sense because they’re going somewhere were safety measures are in place? And I couldn’t believe what I was reading when you said “It’s obvious that this group of people weren’t good people. Of course nobody will come forward…because the crowd are a bunch of gun wielding criminals”. So you’ve determined that none of the kids at this party were good, and that they were a bunch of gun wielding criminals? Wow! You got all of that from this article?! Are you sure that your name is Veronika and not God, because you sure are doing a lot of judging! Gosh, I didn’t expect for this lesson to take so long, but oh well. Mmmm…let me guess, Veronika,…you’re blonde AND you were a cheerleader in school, right (and yes, I am quite aware that I just stereotyped you. How does that feel)? Anyway, I won’t hold your opinions against you. If the good Lord above can forgive transgressions, then who am I to not do so also? Besides, I noticed that you tried to “save face” in your later comments, so I will excuse your lapse of good judgement, common sense and the fact that you assume (making an a$$ out of u in front of me) horrible things throughout your hastily written post that were never said. I couldn’t believe that you had put that in print!

  13. Bottom line its a COWARD on the run, my lil cousin is gone and it is HURTING MY FAMILY
    WHOEVER did this CAN’T SLEEP, god knows and he will deal with that person,
    My family is hurt, heart aches, tears still falling. If YOU KNOW SOMETHING CALL AND GIVE THEM A LEAD OR SOMETHING!!!!!!! R.I.P

    • You are absolutely right! The killer is a coward. He was all “tough and gangster” behind the weapon, but too cowardly to face it like a man? I’m sure he feels all powerful knowing he killed a man…but isn’t man enough to face the cops? He absolutely is a coward. A real man would fight with his fists, not with a gun. A gun is the p*ssy way to handle things. That just shows how weak he really is cuz he has to let the weapon do the fighting for him. And what’s worse is that your cousin was shot in the back. He was trying to avoid the situation obviously. He was shot in the back cuz the shooter was too cowardly to show his face to the front of your cousin. Obviously his mother didn’t raise him to be a man. Karma is a b*tch and eventually his karma will hit him and everyone else at that party. Obviously integrity is something parents don’t teach their kids anymore. The parents of these people at the party should feel just as bad for raising cowardly children with no morals. I’m sorry for your family’s loss.

  14. I really think that my cousin was set up, he got checked to see if he had any weapons on him… If he came to the party with a group why wasn’t anyone with him while they went outside. Now a days when you go out with a group up suppose to stay together! Someone know something and just not saying anything. .. R.I.P. Thank God that the Familt is having his service in TEXAS so that they won’t bring any mess/drama. He will truly live on through his family and friends.

  15. I don’t think that anyone has been compassionless or only cares for themselves at all, they are just saying how it affects them and others. Very sorry for your loss and with 2 sons of my own around the same age I just cant imagine losing them. Parties anymore are getting out of hand with the scum that go to them with guns and intentions of using them. They think they are such big bad asses that they need to start fights so they can kill whoever stands up for whats right. They are not bad ass at all, they are chicken [removed] little boys who can’t fight without a gun. Its a shame for everyone really, who wants to go to parties when only bad things happen? Is it fun? I wouldn’t think so. They need to stop. I feel nothing but heartache when I think of how much this mother hurts, but I wouldn’t want to walk out in my backyard and find a dead man either. We are all affected in one way or another, we live here. There is nothing good about the murder of a young man. My sympathy to anyone who was affected but especially the family. God bless you in this time of loss.

  16. Most everyone at that party house must know who did this and none of them care enough about this beautiful young man to come forward and say anything. What is wrong with this picture? How is this violence going to ever stop if someone doesn’t speak up? ( it won’t stop regardless) How can all the fun loving party goers live with themselves? Most would probably claim to be Christians and God fearing children of God and yet they won’t come forward and identify the nasty POS who chased someone down and shot them like a dog. Strange sense of loyalty and code of silence.
    Was this fight over hookers? Maybe that’s why the girls haven’t come forward. Maybe someone needs to be given anonymity or a reward.

    • I was agreeing with you 100% Party Pooper, until you came wayyy out of left field with the “hooker” comment. I know that I left the AV a few years ago, so things may have changed, but hookers? I have never seen a hooker on a stroll out there in my life. Is that one of the new problems out there? Is there a track out there for the ladies of the night? I feel so naive right now! Wow! But, if there is no problem with hookers and pimps out in the AV (the thought alone is HYSTERICAL), then were’d your comment come from?

      • There are so many young girls out here in the AV putting themselves on craigslist, backpage and other websites. They may not be walking the streets here in Lancaster and Palmdale, however, we are between Disneyland, Las Vegas and Phoenix. All hot spots for hookers and the AV is home or, Rosemond, Littlerock, Cal City. I was not implying that your son was pimping…I swear I was not saying that. Guys do seem to possess young girls and some guy may have been trying to control who the girls were talking to. Did you ever find out what the argument was about? Why haven’t his friends come forward and told the police everything they know?
        When someone puts a party out on facebook and all kinds of people show up, there is bound to be trouble.
        I am so sorry for your loss. I admire the strength you have shown through all of this tragedy. I can’t even imagine how you are feeling. I am sorry for your loss and hope that someone will come forward and show half of the strength you have shown and point the finger at the person who did this to your beautiful son.

      • I responded to your comment and for some reason it was rejected.
        I want you to know that I did not mean anything negative about your son. I was asking about the girls he was talking to when the argument started. There are many shady things that go on in the AV with the youngsters these days.
        I cannot even imagine the pain you are in and the strength you have to be able to deal with all this mess.
        I am very sorry for your loss and hope someone remembers they were his friend and steps forward with the information they have.
        I hope you and your beautiful son Oliver get justice.

        • To Party Pooper…
          I could agree with everything that you had initially said, except for the part about the hookers. Like I mentioned earlier, I moved away from the area some years ago. When I was there, I did not see hookers. I knew people advertised for sex through different venues, but when I read the “hooker” part, I didn’t even think about craigslist, never knew about backstage (I don’t know about sites like that because I don’t associate with people that openly talk about rendezvous on that site, therefore, I’d never even heard of backpage prior to your post above).
          I’ve found out a lot of things in the past two weeks. There is an open investigation right now, so all I can do for now is allow the sheriff’s to do their job. I pray that they find the people responsible for my son’s death, and I pray that they have received all of the statements that they need to make a positive identification.
          And true, parties advertised online are worth missing. I cant say for sure what happened that night because I wasn’t there.
          Thank you for your condolences. Believe me, I’m not as strong as it seems, but family and friends help me get through this throughout the day. I have a total of four children. What it feels like for me is while I love all of my children tremendously, I feel like someone has ripped my heart from my chest, and a big gaping hole is there. At times I have heart palpatations, and I’m not able to sleep. I had spoken with my son about 8 hours before he died, so my brain or body is rejecting sleep because I can’t sleep until i’m absolutely exhausted. Thoughts of why did God give him to me just to take him back from me after 22 years comes to mind several times a day. If I child looks at me for an extended amount of time, I cry. In almost everything I do, including unlocking a door, I cry. Everything makes me cry because my son’s murder was senseless. I hope that whoever is reading this, goes on his page. http://www.facebook.com/oliveradams.351 or http://www.facebook.com/justiceforoliveradams. That’s only a small part of how it feels to lose a child. Its horrible. So, I truly and sincerely thank you for your condolences and commenting again.

          • Please know this: Every mother I know who has read this story, has their arms around you right now. We have all shed tears for you, your family and Oliver.
            I can’t explain why you were given this beautiful child for such a short time. I think sometimes that many of this generation of young people don’t look at each other as human beings. They don’t feel empathy or compassion for others and their moral compass is not working properly. They never learned any type of conflict resolution that didn’t include violence. I still cannot understand why someone hasn’t pointed the police in the direction of the shooter.
            Reality sucks sometimes.
            I am saying a prayer for you right now, that when you close your eyes, you will be able to sleep and see your son as the beautiful, gentle, loving, good friend and son that you knew him as. He will smile and say “Momma, I’m okay and I want you to be okay too”.
            Concentrate on that, and let the police worry about what happened that night. God reveals things on his schedule, not ours.

      • YES! You are very naive. Go to back page . com and look up the hoes running out there. The track is on Sierra hwy. why else do you think all those cheap motels are in that way. There aint nothin out this way but hoes and pimps. Chances are there was some hoes at that party. They breedin pimps out this way left and right. Sorry for your loss… I lost my son and know the hurt but this man had NO reason going to a party where he had to be searched for guns. That is a sign to NOT enter! Hopefully he was livin’ his life right and not sinnin’ and is now in heaven where his fam will be able to see him again. If anything hopefully this will show these young kids life is short, get right by God (not going around with young pretty women but finding a good woman and marrying her)!

        • To Dedison…I recognize exactly where I am in my stages of grief, even when I’m bouncing back and forth. RIGHT NOW?! I’m in the anger stage. Even so, I have enough common sense to know to not say exactly what I’d LIKE to say to you right now. It’s obvious to me that you are DEFINITELY lacking in the common sense department. Because for one, I WAS BEING SARCASTIC WITH THE NAIVE COMMENT. Two, why in the hell would I need to or want to go to a source like backpage.com?! I don’t need to go online to meet people for any purpose besides home maintenance, buying a car or some other goods and services like that. Scouring for personals and people? Um, it doesn’t make me naïve to NOT know about those forums…I’m not one of those desperate individuals that NEED to go on those sites to meet people. I meet people out and about, the old fashioned way. So EXCUSE YOU! Back up some, Miss, Mister or It. You’re out of pocket for even coming at me like that, you insensitive, jerk…let me stop. Because you seem to know so much about the comings and goings of the cheap motels off of Sierra Hwy, I take it that you are an expert on them. After reading your statement, I’d bet that the motel operators know you by sight and/or name. I had a home on the west side of Lancaster out there and believe it or not, some black people, such as myself, do have class, so I have no apologies about not being as educated to the goings on of that industry as you are. I don’t recall seeing any “hoes” on Sierra Hwy; when I saw young females on any street out there, I didn’t, and still do not, ASSUME that they are in “da business”. Chances are?! You don’t know spit about what was going on at the party where my son lost his life unless you were there or you knew someone that was! The bottom line is my son went to a PARTY and lost his life at the hands of a coward who SHOT HIM IN HIS BACK while he was running for his life! As for the search down, what’s wrong with making sure that none of the YOUNG PEOPLE at this party are bringing in weapons? To me, someone tried to make it as safe as possible, knowing that not all young people have the good sense to NOT bring a weapon to a party. If a child or adult will take a gun to a SCHOOL and/or A MOVIE THEATER, what makes a PARTY off limits?! As for YOUR condolences? I’ll pass. Thank you.

          • I don’t think @dedison intent was for you to look at those websites to get a “hookup”. I think he was explaining how real the prostitution problem is here in the AV. The girls aren’t necessarily walking the streets here, they live and party here on their down time. Many of them grew up here and were convinced by some person, “pimp” that they could make plenty of money selling what God gave them.

          • I don’t think @dedison’s intent was for you to look at those pages to get a “hookup”. I think he was explaining how real the prostitution problem is here in the AV. The girls aren’t necessarily walking the streets here, they live and party here on their down time. Many of them grew up here and were convinced by some person, “pimp” that they could make plenty of money selling what God gave them.

          • To Ibelieveinlove…here’s the thing. This is not about the prostitution problem in the AV. I don’t need any help understanding the prostitution problem in the AV. This is, sadly, about how my son lost his life at a PARTY! I totally agree with what has been said. I remember the good old days. Our children are facing the bad new days. Days where you have to take extra precautions just to enjoy what should be a normal night with friends. I don’t live there; my son was indeed grown. He chose to go to that party, but he did not go there for any problems. He went to this party with a girl who was his BEST friend, his newly acquired girlfriend, the girlfriend’s sister, and another female friend of this group. My son treated these girls with respect, love and kindness. Visit his FB to see the outpour of love for him, and what people are saying about him. He was not an angel, but he was a good young man. The bottom line is he should not have been killed, but he was. Suddenly. I know young men are dying everyday. But my son is the first person in our family to die at such a young age and in such a traumatic fashion. Honestly, dedison84 did not have to reply. Neither did I, but calling me naïve and trying to school me in AV’s prostitution problem was inappropriate. Time and place for everything, and this was not the time nor the place.

  17. I’m sorry for your loss. Can you try and talk to the DA about filling for Victims of Violent Crimes they should be able to help with the funeral expenses. My prayers are with you and your family.

    • Yes, contact Victims of Violent Crimes. There’s also an organization called Modest Needs. They helped me with a utility after my son was killed, which we couldn’t pay at the time because of the large burial fees. This is the link. http://www.modestneeds.org You process everthing on line with them. May your son R.I.P. I know from experience that this is a difficult time. I hope they find his killer. My heart is aching for you and your family, my prayers are with you.

    • Thank you, Christy. Just waiting to hear back from them, but VOVC reimburses most expenses up to a certain amount, and there’s an application process. We’re waiting to hear back but in the meantime, we have to plan as if we won’t receive any state funding. We’ve been campaigning on Facebook @ #therobinhoodproject and on the page of that organizations’ founder, Jayceon Terrell Taylor. He has a picture of his adorable young daughter as his profile picture. To raise awareness, money, and give insight into the life of my son and how many people loved him, we created the page https://www.facebook.com/justiceforoliveradams. To go directly to my son’s Facebook page, please go to https://www.facebook.com/oliver.adams.351

  18. I feel for the family that lost a loved one but you cant be serious that they thought he was shot at because someone was jealous because he was a good looking man that brought 3 or 4 “Beautiful” ladies to a house party?!?!?!?! And them mom says that she thinks that someone was “intimidated” by him. Intimidated by him how? Isnt intimidation “causing fear in another”? Something sounds fishy about this.

    • You should really just NOT comment at all!! If this hurting mother wants to think that COULD be a reason then she has every righ to think that! Unless you were there, you cant say that wasn’t the reason. R.I.P to him and prayers to the family.

      • A mom just lost her son unexpectedly. You want an answer as to why did they have to die. I guess to justify their death. You just want answers.
        I know what it is like to lose a child unexpectedly. You want to know what happened, why it happened and I blamed the world for her death.(It was not by violence).
        Mom is in shock and has a lot a head of her. Don’t judge her for what she says or does at this time.

    • That’s not how I read it at all. I read it as a good looking man walks into a party with an entourage of beautiful ladies and the thugs take notice. One of said thugs approaches the group and speaks to one of the girls in a disrespectful way or perhaps they bump the guy as he walks past. Good looking guy says something back and suddenly it’s on like popcorn. Thug and good looking guy make an agreement to “take it outside” and good looking guy waits for thug in the front yard. Thug acts like the coward he is and rounds up some more thugs and they go outside shooting instead. This scenario has played out at house parties in my youth too many times to count. Only difference is, the opposing parties actually settled the score with their fists instead of guns.

      • Please don’t respond to this because nobody care about how you perceive the situation. It clearly states the mother was out of state so she is receiving information from other people and that’s what she has came up with. Even if that’s the REAL reason or not. Don’t make this lady feel worst because you have an opinion. How about you make a donation since this caught your interest so much !!!

      • Yes he did., because this is our community and we don’t want stuff like this going on.
        He is probably right in his comment, that’s the way it works in the hood, right?
        The other victim in this is the poor woman who found this unfortunate young man in her yard.Surprised at her age she didn’t have a heart attack, she will never be the same.

        • The lady who found him is a victim? All your worried about is crime rates? SERIOUSLY? So many accusations & BS is flying on this forum but no one wants to forward with facts & information to say what did happen! WHAT IF THIS WAS YOUR FAMILY?? I would pray people would not be on here arrogant, worried about no one but themselves & feeding into the hype that is the same ghetto BS killing our children EVERYDAY!! Have something positive to add to it or hold your peace. Extra drama isn’t needed or appreciated. God forbid it be your kin next… & if you think it won’t happen to you & yours… well go ahead & cloud the waters some more because Karma & God are in the business of teaching lessons to those with no compassion or heart. Have a blessed day!

          • Yes,my dear,she most certainly is…and yes,of course we are worried about the crime rate,that is what civilized people do.we want to live in a safe community where we don’t walk into the backyard and find that a young man is lying dead,the victim of crazy,gang behavior.
            If you live here,please move.

          • Wow, quite the Al Sharpton aren’t you?! If anyone is “cloud the waters” it’s you. Stop ranting. People are here to express an opinion in a peaceful manner. Like SiknTired said…Please move. We don’t need any more loud mouthed hate mongers here, thank you.