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Priest: Don't seek vengence

By Aldrich M. Tan
aldrich.tan@indystar.com

12:23 PM June 7, 2006

Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi (right) consoles Mario Albarran at the funeral for the victims of the Hamilton Avenue slayings. Albarran's mother, Emma Valdez, was killed in the attempted robbery. - FRANK ESPICH / The Star

Relatives of a family slain last week in the city’s worse multiple-homicide on record should be comforted, not avenged, the minister at their funeral said today.

“May we desire to comfort this family and the neighborhood, rather than call out for more deaths -- even to those who carried them out,” said the Rev. Michael O’Mara.

SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, 1347 N. Meridian St., was standing-room only during the funeral Mass as more than 630 people came to mourn the deaths of seven family members killed in their Near Eastside home last Thursday.

O’Mara, the family’s pastor at St. Mary Catholic Church near Downtown, delivered the eulogy alternately in Spanish and English.

“Our hearts are torn with anger, confusion and sadness,” the priest said.

Alberto Covarrubias, 56, died in the attack, along with his longtime girlfriend, Emma Valdez, 46; and Magno Albarran, 29; Flora Albarran, 22; Alberto Covarrubias, 11; David Covarrubias, 8; and Luis Albarran, 5. A funeral for Alberto Covarrubias was held Tuesday. Services for the other six were today.

Two men have been arrested, and Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi announced Tuesday that he would seek the death penalty against one of them.

Carmen DeRusha, 43, an employee of Purdue University who is not related to the family, attended the service to show her support.

“I’m a Latina and I want to show solidarity,” she said as she waited for the service to begin. “Our community is shocked.

“How could someone shoot three kids?”

Eileen Cisneros, 64, helped Emma Valdez find a job at Flanner & Buchanan funeral home, which also handled today’s arrangements.

“She was a faithful and a hard worker, and I’m here to honor her,” Cisneros said.

Before the service, mourners walked among the six caskets lined up in front of the altar.

A pianist played the hymn “Resucito.”

Cisneros, like others, had difficulty comprehending the tragedy that had filled the cathedral this day.

“It’s horrific,” she said of the killings. “And it’s just unbelievable.”