An overflow crowd of friends and family packed into Nativity Our Savior Catholic Church Friday to say goodbye to slain Indiana teen.
Nineteen-year-old Amanda Bach of Portage was found shot to death along some railroad tracks in Porter County last Saturday.
Her former boyfriend, Dustin McCowan, 18, faces one count of murder and is being held with no bond at the Porter County Jail.
The incident has shocked the close-knit Northwest Indiana community, including many of the high school friends of the victim and suspect.
"She didn't deserve to leave this early. She had a lot of things she was set up to do," Portage High School sophomore Alexys Taylor said. ""It's really scary kinda because I know him and he was one of my friends too. It's a sad situation because it can happen to anyone, and you just don't know when and where it's going to happen,"
Family members chose to focus on Amanda, not the ongoing investigation.
"We prefer not to dwell on that issue today given that Amanda is at peace and really we're trying to focus on her life. We'll leave that up to the sheriff to continue their investigation and looking forward to possibly getting those responsible," the victim's uncle, Dr. Carlos Cespedes said.
Details about a possible motive have not surfaced in the case. A murder weapon has not been found and investigators are still urging the public to come forward if they think they have any information.
"We believe in God and we believe that God will have his way. That's out of our hands and it's better that way. God will have his way and whatever happens happens," Bach's aunt, Diana Garza, said.
