Youn Malual: Killers still at large in slaying of Sudanese refugee, father of five (35)

Youn Malual.

Meanwhile, the extended Sudanese community is continuing to rally around loved ones left behind by the slain father of five.

Malual reportedly fled South Sudan in an attempt to get away from violence -- specifically that caused by the civil war raging there. But violence found him in his adopted home of Denver. Around 3 a.m. the day after Christmas, an unknown killer shot him in the head near his apartment building, at Mississippi and South Xenia in Arapahoe County.

No leads regarding the identity of the murderer, or even a motive, emerged in the day or two immediately following the shooting, and since then, there's been radio silence. We've left a message with Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson requesting the latest info on the investigation. When and if he responds, we'll update this post.

In the meantime, fellow Sudanese refugees are assisting his wife and children, including many folks connected to a school in the Archdiocese of Denver at which my wife serves as principal. Some are relatives, others are friends or acquaintances -- but in a time of tragedy, all of them are doing what they can to help those Malual held in his heart.

Update, 12:38 p.m. January 4: Just spoke with Bruce Williamson, a bureau chief with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. He confirms that investigators still haven't pinned down any suspects or motive in the slaying of Youn Malual -- and concedes that the lack of progress is frustrating.

"We really want to get this one going," he says. "From everything we know, he was an upstanding, hardworking man just trying to care for his family. And to be gunned down the way he was...."

Williamson stresses that his office is actively investigating the case with the hope of bringing those who committed the crime to justice.

Look below to see a 9News report about Malual's death and his family.

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More from our Mile High Murder archive: "Charles Edward Waters claims self-defense in double stabbing, one fatal (30)."