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Saying bye to your office pal page 09
BOSTON • MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2009
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Slain boy’s kin offer love to killer’s family NICOLAUS CZARNECKI/METRO
Is the stress worth it? page 08
The Word
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Jazmine Dixon, 16, right, and Dionne Odom shed tears at the scene where Odom’s younger brother Steven was gunned down in October of 2007.
TONY LEE tony.lee@metro.us
Arrest made
On a gorgeous Palm Sunday surrounding a cherry plum tree planted in memory of their beloved Stevie, the Odoms offered an olive branch. “I would love to reach out to the family of the person identified and offer my love and my genuine support,” said Ron Odom Jr., 25, the oldest brother of 13-yearold Steven Odom, whose alleged
David Johnson, 19, of Mattapan, was arrested Friday on charges he supplied the gun to Bunch and helped him cover up the crime. Johnson will be arraigned today on accessory to murder charges.
killer was identified by authorities this weekend as Charles Bunch Jr. Bunch was 18 on Oct. 4, 2007, when officials say he gunned down Odom in a case of mistaken identity, killing the innocent boy steps from his Evans Street home. Ten days later Bunch was
also killed in an unsolved murder, depriving the Odoms of a chance to see the killer in court and leaving two families with open wounds. In reaching out so soon after the case was cracked, the Odom family wants to set the example as to how forgiveness can help
curb violent crime. “We have no hate,” said Rev. Ronald Odom Sr., Steven’s father, who preached forgiveness at True Vine Church yesterday morning. Ron Odom Jr., who wishes to foster such connections through his newly formed Closer Communities organization, said his family does not have closure, but admitted there is “some relief to know that Steven will get some justice.” The ultimate outcome, he said, would be to help prevent the next tragedy from occurring.
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