Now, on a heartbreaking Memorial Day, his family in California continued to beg for help in finding his killer.
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"A lot of people took his kindness for weakness and that was the strongest thing about him, was how kind-hearted he was," Griselda Martinez, the sister of Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez said to ABC station KABC. "Fearing his death, just over three years ago, has been forgotten."
Roman-Martinez, who was an Army paratrooper serving in the 82nd Airborne Division, was killed during a Memorial Day camping trip.
RELATED: Soldier from Chino laid to rest, remembered as beloved son and brother
Murdered soldier from Chino laid to rest, remembered as beloved son and brother
The 21-year-old from Chino, California, and seven fellow soldiers from Fort Bragg were camping on an island on the Outer Banks when he disappeared. Days later his partial remains washed ashore.
Investigators ruled Roman-Martinez's death a homicide and three long years later, no arrests have been made and there have been few answers for his family.
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"My brother's life was taken away, and he always said he'd give his life to the country, and his life was taken away," said his sister.
Griselda and the family have criticized how the Army handled its investigation into her brother's death.
"They can't figure out who did it, they can't figure out what happened. They can't figure that out but, you know, I bet you if it was the President of the United States, they would've had it solved in two minutes," she said.
Griselda told KABC that her family was recently told officials are planning to reopen her brother's case but didn't have many details.
In November, a bill introduced by the family's Congresswoman Norma Torres passed. It adds oversight and clarifies standards on how the military looks into cold cases.
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Solving this case would give the young man's family some closure on his death.
"I don't know if this would've ever happened if it wasn't for my brother's passing and it's sad," said Griselda.
Mystery deepens as 911 call released in case of Chino paratrooper whose body was found in NC
Mystery deepens as 911 call released in case of Chino paratrooper whose body was found in NC