Kyle Mitchell was just seven years old when his mother Iveta Mitchell vanished without a trace.
Now he is 20 and she’s still missing but Kyle’s memories of her are forever etched in his brain and will never fade.
“I do remember every morning before school we’d wake up, the heater would be going, breakfast would be ready, school bags would be made, everything would be ready for us to walk out the door and go to school,” he told 9News.
WA’s Deputy Coroner has ruled the 37-year-old mother-of-three was the victim of homicide, concluding Iveta Mitchell died at the time she disappeared from her home in Parmelia 13 years ago.
“I’m always gonna be hopeful,” Kyle said.
“Bit of a gut punch I suppose, just to read it in official writing it still kind of hurts.”
The report says how the mother-of-three died remains a mystery but confirms she was murdered and was a victim of foul play.
“Personally, just speaking personally, it’s always been at the back of my mind that that might be what the end result was going to be,” he said.
“Even though it’s not the final result, we know it’s another step closer in our journey in a sense.”
Iveta Mitchell was last seen by her husband Chad in May 2010. He maintains his innocence.
Kyle now has children of his own and said while it’s not what he wanted to hear, he hasn’t given up hope.
“I hope it’s not the end, we’ll still take it day-by-day as we have been doing the last 13 or so years.”
Peter Read, Kyle’s brother and Iveta’s eldest son, says he feels nothing has changed.
There is still no closure but he hopes one day he’ll learn the truth.
“I’ve never had a real theory as to what’s happened,” Kyle said.
“I’ve always thought she needed a break and just got up and walked away.
“There’s always obviously theories (that) something more sinister has happened.
“I just hope she’s out there somewhere watching.”
The police investigation into Iveta’s death continues with $1 million on offer for any information that leads to a conviction.