HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Two months of hopes and prayers and waiting for a positive outcome ended tragically on Friday. Police announced that remains believed to be those of Ja'Marious Logan, a Huntsville teen who disappeared in late September, were found Thursday in Sylacauga.
Saturday, Logan's family members gathered with broken hearts, determined to honor the teen's memory.
"He deserves our recognition of who he was.," said aunt Angela Lovelady. "He was 15, but he had so much that he gave."
Jamie Garner of the Kaiden Garner Project helped organize the memorial. "He was a child, and he was abused," Garner said.
Not much has been revealed about the circumstances that led to Ja'Marious' death. 33-year-old Latorrie Gaddis has been arrested and charged with capital murder. Huntsville officers said Gaddis had been located in Alexander City, and was already wanted on assault charges.
"They were acquaintances in the area," Sgt. Jack Pugh of the HPD Major Crimes Unit had said on Friday. "They definitely knew each other."
Two others, Latoya Wells and Corie Wilson, were charged with kidnapping in connection with Logan's disappearance and, along with Gaddis, were arrested and taken to the Madison County Jail.
Gaddis' wife, Deserea Cunningham, was arrested Friday in Sylacauga on charges of hindering prosecution related to the investigation and is expected to be extradited to Madison County.
Logan's family, and the community at large, are left wondering about what led to Ja'Marious' killing - but took Saturday as a time to remember the young man they knew and loved.
Garner says if anything is to be taken away from the situation, it's this:
"Look at these babies out here. This is destined to happen again if we don't learn from our mistakes," Garner said. "Don't let [his death] be in vain. He did not live 15 years for nothing."
