ASHLAND — Tuesday night, friends and family members of Stacey Stanley gathered in a parking lot near the two houses on Covert Court where Shawn Michael Grate was arrested and two bodies were found. On Thursday, they will be gathering there again along with members of the community to remember Stanley and the other victims.
A candlelight vigil will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot at Orange and Fourth streets in Ashland.
Becky Baldauf, one of the organizers of the vigil, said she was moved watching Stanley’s uncle on the news and the emotion he showed for his missing niece.
“I thought, ‘Let’s show these people that we care. I just want to show the family that Ashland does care and we are good people,” Baldauf said.
Baldauf said a bagpipe player coming is coming from Wooster College to play “Amazing Grace.” Stanley’s family will be attending and will be given the chance to speak during the vigil.
Baldauf, along with Eric and Patricia Wires, set up a Facebook event page to help spread the word about the vigil.
“Things like this don’t happen in our community, but it did happen and now we need to come together and show our support,” Baldauf said.
