PORTLAND, Ore. -- A small crowd, made up mostly of Madison High School students, gathered at Glenhaven Park to remember one of their own.
“She would always make me laugh,” said one girl. “She had the greatest heart.”
The girl was talking about Destiny Banuelos. The 16-year-old and her mother, Maria Sanchez, were shot to death the day after Valentine’s Day. Their bodies were found in a home just outside of Orlando, Florida.
“I just wish I had the chance to say goodbye,” said one boy. “I regret not saying more to her when I had the chance.”
Originally from Portland, Banuelos and Sanchez moved to Florida to start a new life. Deputies say a man who lived with the pair discovered their bodies.
“She was always there for me,” said Wesley Ward.
Losing someone is never easy. It is even more difficult for those still learning how to grieve. Banuelos’ stepdad had a message for the group.
“Do positive things with your life,” said Jerry Ledbetter.
It is a challenge Banuelos will never have the chance to fulfill. She was killed just weeks shy of her 17th birthday.
“Even though she’s gone she’ll never be forgotten,” added one mourner. “She’ll always be in our hearts.”
The double homicide remains unsolved.
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