In light of the protests, Police Chief Wayne Jerman and Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks finally broke their silence and gave a joint public statement on January 11.
They wrote that the investigators were not in the position to disclose the details of the case due to its current status as an ongoing investigation.
Even though the police acknowledged and sympathized with the Walker family’s plea for answers, they upheld their reasons for deferring progress, citing the need for further investigation to determine the applicability of charges and make an actual arrest in the case.
“It is not uncommon for an investigation to take days, weeks, even months until the necessary evidence is gathered to decide whether criminal charges are warranted… The process of a homicide investigation requires us to be deliberate and thorough in order to get the answers necessary to determine what, if any, criminal charges may be appropriate,” said the statement.
The police also cautioned against inaccurate information being spread about the case online and dismissed the concerns as “speculative commentary”.
Devonna Walker is survived by her three children, the youngest of which is only two months old and her family is raising funds to finance the lives of her children in her absence.
