Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Family, friends remember slain teen at candlelight vigil

Vigil for Alyssa Otremba

Steve Marcus

Hundreds of people participate in a candlelight vigil for 15-year-old Alyssa Otremba at Arbor View High School Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. Otremba, an Arbor View sophomore and school band member, was found slain on Saturday.

Vigil for Alyssa Otremba

Samantha Forecki, 15, center, and her mother, Michele Enk, hold up candles during a vigil for 15-year-old Alyssa Otremba at Arbor View High School Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011.  Otremba, an Arbor View sophomore and school band member, was found slain on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2011. Launch slideshow »

Vigil held for slaying victim Alyssa Otremba

KSNV coverage of friends and family remembering the life of slain 15-year-old Arbor View High School student Alyssa Otremba, Sept. 7, 2011.

Sheriff Doug Gillespie reacts to teen's slaying

A sea of candles flickered outside Arbor View High School on Wednesday night as family and friends wept softly and remembered the life of Alyssa Otremba.

Otremba, 15, was attacked and killed Friday while walking home. Her burned body was found Saturday in a vacant lot at Oso Blanco Road and Grand Teton Drive near U.S. 95. Javier Righetti, who was arrested in the slaying, is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Thursday.

“God is with us,” a man said into a bullhorn. “It’s such a tragedy that things need to come to this.”

Assistant Principal Denise Tomchek, who attended the vigil, told parents that the staff at Arbor View consider the students their own. “When you hurt we hurt,” she said.

Clark County Schools Superintendent Dwight Jones offered his condolences in a statement earlier.

“I was devastated by what had happened,” Jones said “I want all of you to know we’re doing everything we can to provide grief counselors to the school. We certainly want to support the school and support the family in any way that they deem would be appropriate.”

Tomchek praised Otremba’s parents.

“Jennifer, the mother of Alyssa, was a rock,” Tomchek said. “We know Alyssa’s looking down.”

Whether they knew Otremba or not, students were compelled to speak at the vigil.

“I wish she were here to she how many people were here,” one person said.

“We’ll never forget her,” another student said.

Members of the Arbor View marching band organized the vigil. Otemba was a percussionist in the band.

“It feels amazing that everybody cares so much, that everybody came out,” said

Hunter Lehtinen, a friend a fellow band member.

Lehtinen said the band is like family. Future concerts will be dedicated in Otremba’s memory and band members will wear green ribbons in her honor.

“She loved to dance and make jokes,” said friend Ashley Wernet, “She could brighten your day even if you were in the worst mood possible.”

One person said that while the candles at Otremba’s vigil will go out, the light of her memory would not.

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy