FORT VALLEY, Ga. — On Thursday night, dozens of family, friends and neighbors paid their respects to Kevin Neal. Neal was shot and killed last week.
"It's been very emotional, it's been very emotional, very tragic, everyone's going through grief in their own way," says cousin Angela Neal.
Angela helped organize the vigil. She said this is what Kevin would've wanted -- a celebration.
"He was just always outgoing and very loving, he always made sure every time he saw you or anyone else, he always let them know, 'Hey I love you,'" says Neal.
Angela says she's grateful that the people allegedly responsible were caught, but even those men and their families will be in their prayers.
"I know they're grieving as well because they lost a child, they lost a son, they lost a cousin, they lost a brother, and I know they are grieving and we do wanna also let them know the Neal family is praying for them as well," says Neal.
She says the last seven days have been challenging, but the pain will ease with time.
"We're gonna take it day by day and we're also gonna stay together as a family as we normally do. We're gonna get through it day by day," says Neal.
Neal says they'll be laying her cousin to rest in a private burial and funeral this weekend.
Fort Valley Police Chief Lawrence Spurgeon says the GBI, Peach County Sheriff's Office, and Fort Valley State Police Officers all assisted with this investigation.