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Grieving Relatives Turn To Crime Stoppers Miami For Help

MIAMI (CBS4) - Family members are asking for the public's help in solving two homicides---one involving a 19-year-old man near a Miami park and the other regarding the death of a popular Broward transit bus driver who was gunned down while jogging in Miami Gardens.

The stories are featured on "Crime Stoppers Miami," a show that is the latest weapon in the fight against crime in South Florida. It's a show that is airing every Saturday at 10 p.m. on CBS4's sister station---TV 33.

This week's show is a repeat broadcast of an episode that aired originally on February 25th. Authorities hope a rebroadcast of the show will generate more tips from the public.

"Crime Stoppers Miami" is hosted by Richard Masten, the Executive Director of Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers and includes a segment that is co-hosted by CBS4's Eliott Rodriguez that profiles some of the most wanted fugitives here in South Florida.

This week's show looks first at the murder of 19-year-old Eric Pratt last May near Range Park in Miami. Pratt was approached by a few individuals at a basketball court. The lead detective in the case says Pratt was "executed" and the suspects fled.

A re-enactment shows exactly what happened. Pratt's mother says her son was "always giving" and "always tried to help people out." She said she prays that whoever took her son's life is caught.

"Crime Stoppers Miami" also looks at the unsolved murder from September 2008 in Miami Gardens of 49-year-old Michael Garland.

Garland's sister tells us her brother was a Broward transit bus driver and said "all his passengers loved him."

The lead detective in the case says Garland used to jog quite a bit and it's believed his killers were watching him as he jogged by a basketball court. He was approached by at least one man with a gun.

One suspect pointed a handgun at him and as he tried to get away, he was shot in the back. Garland was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital but did not survive.

Police are perplexed. As far as they knew, Garland had no enemies.

The standard Crime Stoppers reward of up to $1,000 is being offered in each case and tipsters are kept anonymous.

Masten told D'Oench, "It's important that people in our community band together and try to help out to make our streets safer. The community can provide an invaluable service in solving some of these crimes. It just takes someone who may have seen or heard something to make an important difference."

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