March 27, 2007: $1,000 reward offered in triple homicide

As St. Paul police continue their search, friends and family grieve for the three killed Friday.

By Paul Gustafson, Star Tribune

Last update: August 11, 2008 - 11:51 AM

Prayers and cash were offered up Monday in hopes of helping St. Paul police solve a triple homicide that now has gone four days without an arrest.

Police released few new details but maintained that they are making progress investigating the slayings early Friday in the 200 block of Burgess Street in the city's North End.

"Most of our energies are focused on this thing," spokesman Tom Walsh said.

A $1,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the killers also was announced Monday.

Intruders broke into the house about 6 a.m. Friday, demanded money and drugs, then shot Maria McLay, 32; her boyfriend, Otahl Saunders, 31, and McLay's 15-year-old daughter, Brittany Kekedakis, a sophomore at Como Park High School.

McLay's son, 7, and daughter, 10, were in the house, but escaped physically unharmed.

At a vigil Monday night, about two dozen people gathered in a circle at North Heights Urban Outreach Center in St. Paul and prayed for the victims and the community.

Jessica Ohs, who said her father was previously married to McLay, said she started sobbing the moment she heard the victims' names.

The tears are still fresh days after the killings, Ohs said after the vigil.

"I remember how [Maria] always treated me as part of the family," said Ohs of Lakeland.

A few teenagers at the vigil wore T-shirts with Brittany's photo and date of birth and date of death.

A particularly tough case

Ron Ryan, commander of the Metro Gang Task Force, said this is a particularly tough case for police.

"Our people are helping out. We're dealing with informants. But as of yet I think people only have some rumors, some ideas, but no solid leads," he said.

Ryan said Saunders, who was charged in 2002 with cocaine possession, is not on the task force's list of known gang members. But he said he believes the perpetrators "are more than just street thugs; there was organization. That's my opinion."

Retired St. Paul police homicide commander Joe Corcoran said McLay's two younger children, who apparently witnessed the shootings, could provide valuable information.

"You have to be pretty careful to determine how traumatized they are, but kids that age can be excellent witnesses," he said.

A key for police may be keeping the case, with its high outrage factor, in the public eye, Corcoran said.

"Somebody in the community knows who did it," he said.

Hopefully, the killing of innocent people, especially kids, will get someone to come forward, Corcoran said.

The reward fund was established by the St. Paul Police Foundation at the Bremer Bank in Lawson Commons in St. Paul. The St. Paul NAACP has pledged $1,000.

'We will miss you'

Outside the house Monday, friends added to a memorial consisting of dozens of bouquets, an equal number of stuffed animals and messages on T-shirts and posters.

"It's still hard to believe that [Brittany's] gone," said Antranette Williams, 16, a sophomore at Como. "She was only 15, she was just starting out. It's not fair."

Martha Vega, 17, helped print hundreds of memorial cards at school Monday in honor of Brittany. They feature the girl's photo and a simple message: "We will miss you."

Williams, who'd known Brittany since grade school, said Monday was difficult for the students at Como.

"She was my lab partner in science," Williams said. "When she wasn't there today I couldn't take it and I had to leave. I just don't understand how someone could do this to her and her family."

Staff writer Tom Ford contributed to this report. Paul Gustafson • 651-298-1545 • pgustafson@startribune.com