“We’ll miss everything about her,” says Wanda Fifer Crawford, whose daughter Crystal was shot and killed in Inglewood on May 31. (Photo by Gary McCarthy)
Story Published:
Jun 18, 2009 at 11:33 AM PDT
Story Updated:
Jun 29, 2009 at 2:06 PM PDT
A star basketball player at Ánimo South Los Angeles Charter High School, Jordan Crawford remembers his sister Crystal cheering the loudest from the bleachers.
Cradling Crystal's college graduation photo, Wanda Fifer Crawford smiled as she recalled how the youngest of her four daughters — who she nicknamed C-Baby — would sit on her lap and declare “I know I’m your favorite daughter.”
That was the humor and spirit of 24-year-old pre-school teacher Crystal Crawford, senselessly shot in Inglewood May 31 while she sat in a parked car with friends. Crystal died from her wounds the next day.
According to Inglewood Police Department spokesman Lt. Mike McBride, detectives have very little to go on and are calling for the public’s help.
The initial police statement said Crystal was shot in the head as she sat with three male friends in the 2900 block of 95th Street.
One of the occupants in the back seat of Crystal’s vehicle, a 19-year-old male, was also hit, but he survived. Two friends were in another car behind them and they split the victims between the cars and rushed them to different hospitals.
“We believe they were all headed to a party or get-together when suddenly a car pulls up,” said McBride. “A few words were exchanged and a Black male suspect fired into the car where she sat. The only description we have is that it was a gray, Ford Taurus type.”
McBride added that despite the incident having the look of a drive-by, neither Crystal nor her companions had gang ties.
On Monday, her life was celebrated and remembered as more than 500 family, work colleagues and friends attended her funeral service at the New Creation Christian Faith Center, located on Western Avenue and 89th Street.
Crystal, who lived with her mother and two of her younger brothers in the family home, taught at St. John’s Lutheran Pre-School in El Segundo for the past year and a half.
Before that, Wanda said, Crystal — one of six children — had taught third grade at St. Francis Cabrini School in L.A. after graduating from Biola Christian University in La Mirada.
“We’ll miss everything about her,” said Wanda, who works as a special education assistant. “That beautiful, gorgeous smile. A lot of people loved her, she was God’s shining light wherever she went.”
She added: “I hope anyone with information will come forward because these killers need to be caught or they will do it again.”
As for Jordan, he pledged to use his sister’s memory to spur him on in life.
“I will use it as a motivation to get better,” he said. “I know she would want me to pursue my dream and this will just make me work harder.”
Anyone with information was asked to call Detective Will Salmon at (310) 412-5246, or the department’s 24-hour anonymous hotline at (888) 415-7463 (888 41/CRIME).
RSS Feeds 
You have indicated this comment should be removed.
The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .