SARASOTA - A Suncoast teen is laid to rest as his community gathers to say goodbye.
18-year-old Gregory Kennedy was killed when a fight broke out following a party last week. Now two teens are sitting in jail charged with 2nd degree murder, and friends and family mourn his death at his funeral.
Two weeks from today, Kennedy was supposed to start his senior year at Sarasota High School. He was a great athlete, outstanding in many sports. He had lots of friends and a warm, loving family. He was already working part time for his dad and planned to work with him full time in the future. Now, there will be no future. Today, Kennedy was laid to rest.
"In that casket there lies the lifeless body of my beautiful son," says Kennedy's father Roland.
The music, the candles and the flowers at the First Presbyterian Church spoke of peace. A picture of a smiling Gregory stood near his coffin. His family bid him farewell and spoke of their loss.
"Gregory will be greatly missed. We will never forget him," says Kennedy's mother Laura.
"You'll never be forgotten. You always had my back. Now in heaven you'll be watching even closer," says Jonathan Scheb, Gregory's brother.
The incident that took Gregory's life took place on July 29th. He was at a party on Lalani Blvd. when witnesses say a fight broke out. Deputies say Gregory was leaving the party, when he was knocked down, punched and kicked.
An autopsy shows he died from blows to the head. Two 17-year-olds, Michael John Mendola and Simon Mihailovic are being held in Sarasota County Jail without bond, charged with 2nd degree murder for his death.
The service ended at Sarasota Memorial Cemetary. As a bagpipe whalled gregory's friends hugged and cried together. They say the pain of his loss will never end. "It's devastating. I've never experienced anything like it. It's like a hole in my heart," says Gregory's friend Cory.
Kennedy went to Sarasota High School and the two teens arrested for his murder go to Riverview, but the mother of one of his friends asked to make it clear that this wasn't a fight between the two schools. It was simply a senseless fight started by several teens when they were asked to leave the party for being unruly. Gregory was not involved with either side.
