In East Boston, a community mourns and begs for answers

BOSTON — Friends gathered in East Boston Thursday night to remember the latest young victim of violence and to plead for answers as to who killed him.

The victim is just 16 years old. He was a church going boy who ended up on the streets with the gangs.

For the first time, we’re getting a face and name to the latest teenager killed by possible MS-13 gang members.

Luis Fernando Orellano Ruano was found stabbed to death on these stairs, on Christmas Eve, at the East Boston Stadium.

“He was missing over the weekend. They couldn't find him,” the victim’s friend, Luis Ramirez, said.

Ramirez used to go to church with the 16-year-old.

“He left the church to join a gang,” Ramirez said. “They bought them from Guatemala, over here to have a better life.”

It's a similar story for the other 4 teens who were found dead, all in East Boston, in the last year alone.

At an indoor candle light vigil, held feet away from where Ruano's body was found, all of the victim's names were read -- following a moment of silence.

“That's the hard part, watching out for these kids. They have no families; become easy prey. They have no family, unfortunately the gang becomes their family,” Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said.

In early December, 16-year-old Carlos Nunez's body was found at the Belle Isle Marsh reservation. His heartbroken family in El Salvador got the news they feared.

In June, Blanca Lainez, a high school student from El Salvador, was found murdered on Princeton Street by construction workers.

Community leaders are begging parents for help.

“Parents, guardians, keep these teenagers close to you, what time they are going to be home, where they are, who they are with,” community leady Antonio Avanti said at the vigil.

In the last two cases, police and community leaders are begging the public for help. They are unsolved murders.

In the meantime, Ruano's family set up a GoFundMe account so mom and dad in Guatemala can bury their son in his home town.

Cox Media Group