Mobile County Sheriff's Office to begin investigating Prichard murder case in 2023

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — After months of waiting for an answer in her son's murder case, Lubertha Welch called the Mobile County Sheriff's Office in hopes they would begin investigating.

It's been seven months since Lubertha Welch learned that her son, Valentino Arso, had been killed.

“I have to take it one day at a time,” Welch said.

Arso, 58, was killed after being hit by a stray bullet while walking to work on the morning of November 12.

The bullet came from a shooting at Brother's Quick Mart on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Prichard. WKRG News 5 obtained surveillance video of the shooting and showed it to Welch.

After watching the video, Welch wonders why there have been no arrests in her son's case.

“You want to tell me that Prichard can’t have anyone? It's clear as day here! Welch said.

Welch contacted the Mobile County Sheriff's Office after waiting months for an update. She said someone there told her the county would begin investigating the matter. An MCSO spokesperson told News 5 their office will work with Prichard police to resolve this and other cases.

Welch said hearing the news that the county would help in the case gave him more hope that an arrest would be made soon.

“I just want justice for my son,” Welch pleaded.

Arso's family is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone with information leading to a conviction.