Three days after 27-year-old Kevin Wirth was brutally murdered at his home in Lansing, friends and family gathered to remember a man they say was the life of the party.
A candlelight vigil was held in his honor as they shared memories.
“Knowing the fact that that I have to go through the rest of my life without him is going to be rough,” said Michelle Paye, who has known Wirth since she was 12-years-old.
Gray skies loomed over The Nuthouse bar in Lansing but in every direction, a smile as friends and family remember a life cut tragically short.
“He loved meeting new people, we did it together,” said Paye. “We liked going out and meeting new friends and just having a good time, he would bend over backwards for anybody.”
Friends of Wirth say he was always excited and ready to have fun with anyone he met.
As rain poured from the sky Wednesday evening, so did the memories those close to Wirth shared.
Memories they'll hold on to forever.
“Anything to put a smile on your face, that's why he’d be so happy to see all of you here tonight and sharing these fun memories and smiling,” said Jamie Harris, a close friend to Wirth. “That's all he ever wanted is just to make everyone smile.”
For friends and family, keeping close has helped the grieving process.
“None of us have left each other alone,” said Paye. “We've been forcing each other to do things to keep ourselves healthy and it’s just so great that were all here together, we're reminiscing about this, we're here for each other.”
Still trying to understand why someone would hurt a man who would open his heart and home to anyone.
“What made you want to do something like this, he trusted you,” said Paye. “He trusted you like he trusted everybody why, we don't understand.”
The man accused of killing Wirth, 30-year Larkin Henry Neely Junior was charged with open murder.
The judge set a cash bond for 25-million dollars.
Neely Junior is expected back in court June 1.
