Murder Suspect’s Family Speaks Out

The family of a suspected murderer accused of fatally shooting a man this past weekend is speaking out and begging for him to turn himself in.

21-year-old Joey Hampton is wanted in connection with the shooting death of 21-year-old Dante Wolford at the Dairy Mart on Pine Street in Zanesville Saturday night. Tuesday evening, expressing remorse for Dante’s family, Joey’s family is telling him to do the right thing.

"I would tell joey that we love him, we’re here for him, to support him, he’s my son no matter what he’s done. I’m always going to be there for him and the family. That’s all we want is for him to take responsibility for what had happened and do the right things and we love him and want him to get in contact with us to turn himself in," said Joey’s Mother Paula Lomax

"I just wish he would come home so everyone would feel safer and Dante’s family would feel so much better if you would just come home and turn yourself in and do the right thing," said Joey’s Sister Desiree Lomax.

The family says they’ve faced backlash since Wolford was murdered,

"He needs to come back and man up and take responsibilities for what he has done so we can be at ease and we will stop running around and listening to threats and things they are going to do to us because we’re scared to death," said Joey’s Father Darren Lomax.

Hampton has called his mother several times since the shooting; however, he refuses to give her any information on his whereabouts.