Meredith Kercher Family Doesn't Want 'Wrong People' Convicted

Oct. 4, 2011— -- The family of Meredith Kercher, still dazed by a court ruling absolving Amanda Knox of her murder, said today that don't want "the wrong people" imprisoned but are still hoping for the truth of who killed their "Mez."

Kercher's brother Lyle told a news conference today that the search will continue for the person who killed Meredith, a 21-year-old university student from England who was studying in Perugia, Italy, at the time of her murder. Kercher, fondly called "Mez" by her family, was found strangled and with a slit throat in her bedroom in November 2007.

The murder convictions of Knox, Kercher's roommate, and Raffaele Sollecito were tossed out Monday. Knox flew off to the U.S. today and Sollecito returned to his home in Italy.

Before heading home to Britain, the Kerchers held a news conference in Perugia, saying they were still baffled over how a conviction "that was so certain two years ago has been so dramatically overturned."

Meredith Kercher's Family Doesn't Want "Wrong People" Imprisoned

"Ultimately we accept the decision and respect the court, but we do find that we are left looking at this again. We are back at square one, left wondering what truly happened," he said. "It is my understanding that we will go ahead and appeal the decision."

In Italy, the prosecution can appeal a loss and that is expected to happen in the Knox and Sollecito cases.

"We don't want the wrong people put away for a crime they didn't commit, but now we may have to wait another year or so. We will wait," said Stephanie Kercher, Meredith's sister.

Their mother, Arline Kercher, was silent for most of the press conference, saying only that the family was still absorbing the decision. Arline Kercher sat stoicly through the acquittal and ensuing celebrations Monday, leaving only after Knox's family and supporters had already exited the court house.

The Knox family has never contacted that Kerchers, saying they didn't think it was the appropriate time while Amanda Knox was convicted of the murder and insisting she was innocent.

The father of Sollecito, however, tried to contact the Kerchers to offer condolences after the verdict, but their overture was apparently not accepted.

"Last night I tried to meet Meredith's relatives, but I realized that it was too soon," Francesco Sollecito said today to the Italian news agency Ansa Italian. "We had our son given back to us, sadly Meredith's parents will never have their daughter given back. I suffer for them and with them. We offer them our closeness and condolences."

Raffaele Sollecito said he didn't know if he would ever see Amanda Knox again. The two had a torrid week-long affair before Kercher was killed. Just days after the murder, both were arrested and spent the next four years in prison. They exchanged notes occassionally, including one from Amanda telling Sollecito she couldn't love him.

"We could have really had something special, it's true," she wrote on Feb. 18, 2009, one of several letters obtained by ABC News.

She tells Sollecito that she reads his letters over several times and says she was "inspired" by things he wrote. She goes on to write, however, "I can't give you what you want. I can't give you my heart completely."

Today Sollecito said, "Maybe I will see (Amanda) again, but I don't know yet. For now I just want to stay with my family."

The Sollecitos were also invited to visit the Knoxes at their home in Seattle, Wash., though both Raffaele and his father said they did not know if or when that would happen.

Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito Go Separate Ways After Prison

"We each went our separate ways after the sentence," Francesco Sollecito said of the Knox family. "But through my daughter I heard that Amanda's stepdad invited us to Seattle. It is too soon to say whether we will go."

Francesco Sollecito said his son was still adjusting to the world outside prison, walking around his home touching objects, sleeping a little and reconnecting with friends and family. The father and son held hands on the drive back to their home in Bisceglie, in the southern part of the Puglia region, he said. Raffaele, who said he feels "totally spaced out," told one of his lawyers that his first wish was to see the sea, and to spend time with his family.

Francesco Sollecito said his son's reacclimation into Italian life will begin today.

"Today he will eat fish, which he has not seen for ages," he said. "Today is a beautiful day, we want to enjoy it fully."