Anoka County authorities are still searching for the suspect who murdered 18-year-old Diamond Manly in his car earlier this month.

“The little kids ask questions every day. How are they going to live with it? How am I going to live with it as a father? How is my wife going to live with it as a mother?” Eric Manly, Diamond’s father, said. “I feel traumatized. I don’t sleep.”

The Manly family is facing questions while riddled with grief.

“I am in so much pain. My heart is so broken,” Leona Yogei Manly, Diamond’s mother, said. “Diamond was the sweetest baby. He’s somebody that jokes around. He wants to make you smile.”

Leona and Eric were months away from a time of celebration with their son.

Diamond was set to walk across the stage at Champlin Park High School in June, but now they’re planning his funeral.

“The amount of students that have been coming over, giving me a card, giving me flowers, the amount of people from the church that are willing to come every day to provide food in this time of bereavement, it tells me how loving he was,” Eric said.

On Sunday, March 2, around 8:30 a.m., the Anoka County Sheriff’s office said Ramsey police got a call about a driver slumped over in a car near Snowy Owl Street Northwest.

When police arrived, they found 18-year-old Diamond dead in his vehicle with a gunshot wound.

“We didn’t even see it coming for him. As friendly, as loving, as caring as he was, we didn’t see it coming at all,” Eric said.

While the family waits for answers, they’re not alone. Leona is a minister in St. Louis Park and her church family is providing support.

“Only God can help us in this season,” Leona said. “I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but God is on my side. We will overcome in the name of Jesus.”

The Manly family said Diamond’s high school is coordinating with his family to make sure students can go to his funeral.

The family is raising money to help lay their son to rest.