Visalia Police and the F.B.I. are working together to try and figure out how 14-year old Dameian Gulley died.
Meanwhile, Gulley’s friends have already begun to mourn his loss. They’ve setup a makeshift memorial on the grounds of Valley Oak Middle School.
“I just want people to remember him,” said Tori Stewart, a friend of Dameian Gulley.
Hope turned into anguish Friday evening after news came out that 14-year old Dameian Gulley had been found dead.
Some of his classmates wrote messages on butcher paper as a way to express their love and sorrow. They hung Dameian’s picture on a wall of the school and lit candles to pay their respects.
Tori Stewart grew up with Damien.
“He always wanted to comfort people and make them feel better. When we were on trips he would let others play his games even he had to sit by himself for a couple of hours, he would just let them,” said Stewart.
We stopped by Damien’s house, but understandably so, family members did not want to speak on camera.
It was from his home on Monday police say the 8th grader set out on his walk to school around 6:30 a.m. However, he never reached the Valley Oak campus.
Reporter: “Is that normal for him? Does he walk from home to school everyday?
“Yeah,” said Stewart.
Concerns grew deeper as the days went on because Dameian was autistic and needed of his medication. Police say it’s too early to tell if foul play is involved. Investigators are not discussing where his body was found either, just that it was a rural area outside of Visalia.
However, an email from Valley Oak’s principal stated that the teen was discovered somewhere in the Sequoia National Forest.
Normally, grief counselors would be brought to campus Monday to help students through this tough time. However, it is Thanksgiving break next week so there is no school.
Friends and family are planning to gather for a candlelight vigil on Saturday, Nov. 23rd. It will take place at Valley Oak Middle School from 6 pm to 8pm.