Man commits life to finding 22-year-old's killer

Amber Bass shot, killed in driveway in July

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Pete Singer feels as if police and the entire city of Jacksonville has betrayed him.

Singer says 22-year-old Amber Bass was like a daughter to him, and since her death in July, he's been fighting to find her killer.

"We love Amber and we miss her," he said. "She'll always be a part of our life and she'll always be a part of our Christmas tree."

Singer's life now consists of standing on street corners with a sign listing recent unsolved slain victims. At the top of the sign is Bass.

"She's been a friend of the family forever," Singer said. "She'd been on ski trips with us, she dated my son, she was just like a daughter to me."

Singer's heart has been aching for a month and a half since someone shot and killed the Chili's waitress in her driveway.

"It hurts inside," Singer said. "It used to be all mushy and feel like your nerve-endings were cut off, but it feels like they're healing now. But it feels like there's a rock. It feels like there's a rock in my stomach that keeps getting harder and harder."

Singer refuses to give up until Bass' killer is found. He's been told to go away, most recently by a woman living near a street corner he was standing on while seeking answers in the unsolved killings.

"When I told her, she told me, 'You need to move on,' and I said, 'You don't get it,' and she said 'Oh I do get it,'" Singer said. "She doesn't get it or she would have went in and made a sign or held the sign I have and helped find these people."

Singer said he was also turned away at the Florida Times-Union after asking to place a classified ad that looked something like "Wanted! The murderer of Amber Bass, $4,000 reward."

"You know, I started a list at home of things that make me stronger, and I just added that to the list," Singer said. "That's just something that makes me stronger, just makes that rock harder. And same with that lady today. It didn't bother me one bit that she came out, wanted to say something to me. That's fine."

Until he draws his last breath, Singer said he will search for Bass' killer.

"I'm sure if we don't find this killer, I'm sure the very last thing that goes through my mind before I die is where he's at, where the person's at that they haven't caught her killer," he said. "I'm sure that's the last thing that will go through my mind before I die. I just need help."

Anyone with information about Bass' death is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.