The mother of a Murfreesboro teenager who vanished nearly a year ago is holding on to hope that he will return home safely.
Devin Bond, age 17, went missing after his mother said he left the house overnight on March 31.
Heather Simmers sat down with NewsChannel 5, urging her son to come back.
"We love you and miss you so much. We just want you to come home. If somebody is telling you can't, you can," Simmers said. "That's all we wish for and we pray about it everyday."
Investigators believed that the Riverdale High School football player may have had a gun.
His phone was last pinged in the Tiger Hill area of Murfreesboro before it was turned off. Simmers said he was last seen in the area of Barfield Crescent Park and had broken up with his girlfriend.
"After a year, you kind of learn to kind of get up and live your life a little bit. He's the first thing I think about when I get up and the last thing I think about," Simmers added.
Simmers believes someone may have helped him run away and possibly knows his whereabouts.
The family is in the process of moving to help ease the pain of Devin.
"It was hard to avoid a room in your house," Simmer said. "I think it would be good for us to start fresh, and when Devin comes home, it'll be a fresh start and fix anything that was wrong before."
Detective Will Pinson of the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said he is still receiving leads that he tracks.
“Some leads come in every week,” Pinson said. “We’ve continued to search for him. We are still working to bring Devin home safely."
People who have information about Devin’s location may call Pinson at 615-904-3056. The tip line is (615) 904-3056. There is a $5,000 reward for information that would lead to his safe return.
