Detective Sean Suiter's murder has left a hole in the department, a void in the homicide unit felt by just about every detective on the floor, more so by the ones who came up with him, sat just 30-feet from him.
"It's been a challenge, probably the biggest challenge of my life. Bigger than the Marine Corps because I have to battle the emotion while sticking to the mission which is finding who killed Sean. So you have to really know when to turn that switch on and off so that you can stay on course and stay focused on what needs to be done," said Detective Eric Perez.
Detective Eric Perez is on the task force to do what needs to be done, catch his friend's killer. It is a task he says that has taken over every aspect of his life.
Getting maybe two hours of sleep a night he says, running on the pure desire for justice.
"Whenever I am not working on the case, believe me, I am bawling. Eyes full of tears. This has definitely crushed my heart and my soul," said Perez.
That stare, that thousand yard stare. It is a look you get from just about every officer when you mention Sean Suiter's name.
He had a legit heart of gold they say, not just a good cop, but a good man.
As Perez and his partners work like mad to find Suiter's killer, they know they have yet to say goodbye. A funeral that will test the resolve of his family, this department, and many in this city.
"That's tough. That's tough. That's probably going to be the toughest day of my life to date, saying goodbye to Sean. It will be a huge loss for us and his family and um, even when we catch this guy, ya know I wish I can bring him back when we close this case. Unfortunately, that's not possible," said Perez.
