A Murder Too Close To Home

 

One of my best friends from high school, Byron called me at work Friday and delivered bad news, a good man was murdered down home:

http://download.wkrg.com/12-19-2008_petri.mp4

On Highway 43 near my hometown, Ray ran a legacy general store he’d inherited from his uncle, Mr. Bobby.  Of distinctive silvery hair and trimmed beard, he was an icon in our small local community and a genuinely nice man.

I last saw Ray when home in early November and shared with my girlfriend how this store was an institution for us country folks. Ray shared credit with many people who had no other rallying place so many without transportation walked there to buy their essentials and to network informally.

Sure, I understand some sociological factors contributing to lawlessness and campaign against them: 

• zero opportunity
• hunger
• social inequity 
• hopelessness

However, there’s no excuse for those who’ve committed this morally depraved act because they violated two of God’s major commandments that should’ve been learned in Sunday School or gained from home training:

• Thou Shalt Not Kill.
• Thou Shalt Not Steal.

Knowing Ray personally and also knowing that these simpletons not only killed his body but also took their best shot at an entire community’s spirit, hope that the punishments meted out equal the heinousness of  the crime. My heart goes out to his family and the folks at home whose lives are suddenly a lot colder this holiday season.