Candlelight walk honors Duluth murder-suicide victims

DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - Hundreds of Duluthians came together in the darkness for a candlelight walk honoring the victims of last week's murder-suicide.

It's been almost a week since the city of Duluth was shaken by the tragic murder-suicide that left five people dead.

Since then, the community has come together to honor the victims with growing vigils, runs, and on Wednesday evening a candlelight walk.

"Let us find the strength to move forward and the courage to remember that this teen spirit and this mom's love, live on in us guiding us towards kindness," said Jojo Coffin-Langdon a clergy for the Methodist Church who spoke to the crowd before the walk.

It was a somber evening in West Duluth as the sunlight faded into darkness and candles lit up the neighborhood.

Hundreds of community members gathered together to grieve the loss of five of their neighbors.

"There's so many people that are so sad about this," said Lindsey Jungman, a neighbor to the Nephew family. "We weren't sure what to do but part of what we love about the neighborhood is how regardless of what it is, we look out for each other."

Family, friends, and strangers met at Kathryn, Oliver, and Anthony Nephew's home at the intersection of 44th Avenue West and Sixth Street near Duluth Denfeld High School to honor their lives with a community walk.

The path was only eight blocks long taking everyone up the Duluth hillside and to the house of Erin Abramson and Jacob Nephew on Tacony Street.

"Jacob was such an amazing big brother and they were a little bit up the road but they were also part of the neighborhood," said Jungman

But it wasn't just people in the community, as the story of these kind souls has reached beyond the area.

"It's not just people in our community. It's people from all over that have come out to put something there," said Megan Cassar.

As the community continues to walk up the challenging hill of grief ahead of them, they know they don't have to do it alone.

"It's been a long week and I think just seeing every day how many people come to drop something off or take something as Oliver would wish. It's been helping me," said Kyle Latour.

Members of the Duluth City Council and Duluth Police Department including Chief Mike Ceynowa were in attendance.

City Councilor Janet Kennedy took some time to speak on the importance of community support and mental health outreach.