By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 12:19 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:44 EST, 7 January 2013 . A heartbroken mum whose son was murdered when a Facebook party spilled out of control has made a tearful appeal to his killers on what should have been his 18th birthday. Caroline Shearer called for the killers of her son Jay Whiston to turn themselves in to detectives and end her family's ongoing 'torture'. Jay, a popular teenager, was killed by a single knife wound to his heart after a row outside a party in an affluent area of Colchester, Essex. The A-level student had been invited to a party which spiralled out of control as about 200 revellers who heard about it through Facebook ran wild on September 8 2012. Grief: Caroline Shearer's son Jay was murdered in September. She has called for the killers to hand themselves in on what would have been her son's 18th birthday . The 17-year-old from Clacton, Essex, was rushed to nearby Colchester General Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Mrs Shearer, 47, made her appeal at a press conference held today at Clacton police station. She fought back tears as she described the impact the killing has had on her family. She said: 'People say that time is a healer, well I tell you now - time is torture. Every second of every day of every month. 'Every breath we take is torture. 'It's a living nightmare - every day I wake up and there are reminders of Jay in the house. 'The impact has changed everybody's course in life, everybody's path in life.' Mrs Shearer appealed directly to her son's killers and the people protecting them to speak to police. She added: 'These people who did this, you were brave enough to do it, so just be brave enough to come forward. 'Stop hiding behind all the trouser legs, pinnies and skirts, like frightened little animals. 'To the parents and the brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and anybody that is hiding these people - you are always going to have something - even if they get put in prison, you are always going to have their birthdays and Christmases. Pain: Caroline Shearer (left) and Jay's sister Holly Fairburn are overwhelmed with grief as they make their appeal . 'Jay should have been 18 - all I could buy him was two helium balloons because someone murdered him.' Jay's sister, Holly Fairburn, 25, sat alongside her mum but was too upset to talk publicly. Mrs Shearer added: 'This has not just affected me and Holly - it has affected the community, so please, if you have got any decent bone in your body, then come forward for Jay. 'Somebody out there has got to have a heart, somebody out there knows who did this and by hiding them you are adding to the misery and making it worse for all of us.' Detectives have made a series of arrests as they try to trace Jay's killer, but so far no one has been charged with the offence and, crucially, the murder weapon - believed to be a knife - has not been traced. Detective Chief Inspector Simon Parkes, today unveiled a red and white patterned River Island T-shirt, thought to have been the same type as worn by one of Jay's killers. Happier times: Jay and his mother Caroline today would have been his 18th birthday . He said: 'We have seized the clothing of those that police suspect to be involved with this. 'There is one item which we have yet to recover - it's a red and white T-shirt which is made by River Island and I am interested in finding that T-shirt so if you know where that T-shirt was disposed of, if you know where that T-shirt is at this moment, please get in touch. That could be a key bit of information for us.' The officer, sat alongside Mrs Shearer, said police were still, four months on, piecing together minute details which they hope will give them the breakthrough in the case. Clue: Essex Police say the killer may have been wearing a red-and-white River Island polo shirt similar to the one pictured . He said: 'The way that we are going to successfully take this matter to court, to successfully prosecute Jay's killer, is to reconstruct the actions of Jay and Jay's attackers. 'But we need to do that frame by frame so this is all about trying to get the minutest detail - the smallest amount of information could be key. 'Let the police decide what was relevant.' DCI Parkes said those who had not come forward with information were protecting Jay's killer through 'some sense of mistaken loyalty'. He described the party which spun out of control as well-organised with the family going to great lengths to ensure that everybody was as safe as they could be. However, a fight started at the party and Jay was stabbed after 'standing his ground'. Police today refused to disclose what had triggered the fight for operational reasons. Mrs Shearer has launched a high-profile anti-knives campaign since her son's death. She hopes to educate youngsters about the dangers of carrying knives. Four teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of murder and another four people were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. All eight have been released on police bail until March 22. A 17-year-old who was arrested previously on suspicion of Jay's murder was today released from his bail and will face no further action. Anyone with information about the killing should contact the investigation team on 01206 576845 or text 07841 112146 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
Caroline Shearer fought tears as she urged the murderers to come forward .
Her son Jay was stabbed at a party that became out of control .
She spoke of the family's torment, saying: 'Every breath we take is torture'
By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 12:19 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:44 EST, 7 January 2013 . A heartbroken mum whose son was murdered when a Facebook party spilled out of control has made a tearful appeal to his killers on what should have been his 18th birthday. Caroline Shearer called for the killers of her son Jay Whiston to turn themselves in to detectives and end her family's ongoing 'torture'. Jay, a popular teenager, was killed by a single knife wound to his heart after a row outside a party in an affluent area of Colchester, Essex. The A-level student had been invited to a party which spiralled out of control as about 200 revellers who heard about it through Facebook ran wild on September 8 2012. Grief: Caroline Shearer's son Jay was murdered in September. She has called for the killers to hand themselves in on what would have been her son's 18th birthday . The 17-year-old from Clacton, Essex, was rushed to nearby Colchester General Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Mrs Shearer, 47, made her appeal at a press conference held today at Clacton police station. She fought back tears as she described the impact the killing has had on her family. She said: 'People say that time is a healer, well I tell you now - time is torture. Every second of every day of every month. 'Every breath we take is torture. 'It's a living nightmare - every day I wake up and there are reminders of Jay in the house. 'The impact has changed everybody's course in life, everybody's path in life.' Mrs Shearer appealed directly to her son's killers and the people protecting them to speak to police. She added: 'These people who did this, you were brave enough to do it, so just be brave enough to come forward. 'Stop hiding behind all the trouser legs, pinnies and skirts, like frightened little animals. 'To the parents and the brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and anybody that is hiding these people - you are always going to have something - even if they get put in prison, you are always going to have their birthdays and Christmases. Pain: Caroline Shearer (left) and Jay's sister Holly Fairburn are overwhelmed with grief as they make their appeal . 'Jay should have been 18 - all I could buy him was two helium balloons because someone murdered him.' Jay's sister, Holly Fairburn, 25, sat alongside her mum but was too upset to talk publicly. Mrs Shearer added: 'This has not just affected me and Holly - it has affected the community, so please, if you have got any decent bone in your body, then come forward for Jay. 'Somebody out there has got to have a heart, somebody out there knows who did this and by hiding them you are adding to the misery and making it worse for all of us.' Detectives have made a series of arrests as they try to trace Jay's killer, but so far no one has been charged with the offence and, crucially, the murder weapon - believed to be a knife - has not been traced. Detective Chief Inspector Simon Parkes, today unveiled a red and white patterned River Island T-shirt, thought to have been the same type as worn by one of Jay's killers. Happier times: Jay and his mother Caroline today would have been his 18th birthday . He said: 'We have seized the clothing of those that police suspect to be involved with this. 'There is one item which we have yet to recover - it's a red and white T-shirt which is made by River Island and I am interested in finding that T-shirt so if you know where that T-shirt was disposed of, if you know where that T-shirt is at this moment, please get in touch. That could be a key bit of information for us.' The officer, sat alongside Mrs Shearer, said police were still, four months on, piecing together minute details which they hope will give them the breakthrough in the case. Clue: Essex Police say the killer may have been wearing a red-and-white River Island polo shirt similar to the one pictured . He said: 'The way that we are going to successfully take this matter to court, to successfully prosecute Jay's killer, is to reconstruct the actions of Jay and Jay's attackers. 'But we need to do that frame by frame so this is all about trying to get the minutest detail - the smallest amount of information could be key. 'Let the police decide what was relevant.' DCI Parkes said those who had not come forward with information were protecting Jay's killer through 'some sense of mistaken loyalty'. He described the party which spun out of control as well-organised with the family going to great lengths to ensure that everybody was as safe as they could be. However, a fight started at the party and Jay was stabbed after 'standing his ground'. Police today refused to disclose what had triggered the fight for operational reasons. Mrs Shearer has launched a high-profile anti-knives campaign since her son's death. She hopes to educate youngsters about the dangers of carrying knives. Four teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of murder and another four people were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. All eight have been released on police bail until March 22. A 17-year-old who was arrested previously on suspicion of Jay's murder was today released from his bail and will face no further action. Anyone with information about the killing should contact the investigation team on 01206 576845 or text 07841 112146 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
invited to a party which spiralled out of control Caroline Shearer's son Jay was murdered in station. She fought back tears as she described every day of every month. 'Every breath we take is torture. 'It's a living nightmare - every day started at the party and Jay was stabbed after