Hundreds of people turned out Friday night in frigid temperatures to honor and pray for David Grunwald, the Palmer teenager who was kidnapped and killed in November.
Four more individuals linked to Grunwald’s death were arrested Friday about the time mourners began showing up at the vigil at the Alaska State Fairgrounds, Palmer.
Renee Royal of Wasilla waved a sign “Justice For David.” Royal, a mother of two, said social media could have lured Grunwald into a dangerous scene he was not aware of.
“There was a lot of information on social media, and that is just indicative of the time that we live,” Royal said. “I think a lot of that has been perpetuated in this case, and I think that it definitely adds an element, an eerie element, to this story, to the overall feeling, that we are living in a community that there are some youth out there that are dangerous.”
The 16-year-old was reported missing Nov. 13.
Grunwald’s body was located Dec. 2 in the woods near Knik River Road.
Erick Almandinger, 16, also of Palmer was taken into custody Dec. 2 and charged with first-degree murder in Grunwald’s death. Almandinger will be tried as an adult.
On Dec. 8, a Palmer grand jury issued arrest warrants for Devin Peterson, 18, Austin Barrett, 19, Dominic Johnson, 16, and Bradley Terrigin-Renfro, 16. All were taken into custody Dec. 9, according to an Alaska State Trooper dispatch.
Johnson and Terrigin-Renfro, both of Wasilla, were charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, second-degree murder and evidence tampering.
Barrett of Palmer was charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and second-degree murder.
Peterson of Wasilla was charged with evidence tampering and first-degree hindering prosecution.
