Family's grief 'How could you take a little boy's life just because you want a chain?'
A devastated sister of beach party murder victim Kellon Hill yesterday summed up the mindset of her brother's killer: "You don't care if he dies as long as you get your chain."
Keira Hill, 22, joined the rest of her family in a heartbroken and angry outburst against the gang who pounced on Kellon and stabbed him to death as he sat on his motorcycle outside Elbow Beach on Saturday.
Kellon, 18, is understood to have tried to fight off the troublemakers after they gatecrashed a late night party and attempted to steal the gold chain from around his neck.
They killed him and made off with the jewellery in a taxi to the White Hill area of Sandys.
Kellon — whom a number of sources say had no gang affiliations and simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time — is said to have been an invited guest at the event, which was thrown by a 15-year-old girl.
Yesterday, Kellon's family stressed he had only been there to enjoy himself, and launched a verbal attack on the mindless behaviour of the people who claimed his life.
Keira told The Royal Gazette: "They are wicked. They are evil. What gives them the right to take someone's life?
"If someone came and took their mom's life, their sibling's life, how would they feel?
"How could you do something like this? How could you take a little boy's life just because you want a chain? Is it really worth it?
"You don't care if he dies as long as you get your chain. It's not right. It's not worth it. It's evil. It's selfishness."
The victim's mother Gail Hill said: "I feel that my heart has been just torn. Someone has invaded my life and taken away a very, very precious, priceless jewel: one that can never be replaced."
Recalling the last time she saw her son alive, Mrs. Hill said: "As usual, I just told him to fasten his helmet and get back on time."
Kellon's family were not at the party and have spent the past two days piecing together what happened.
Keira said: "He was just trying to have some fun. Somebody did him wrong."
Mrs. Hill continued: "He was minding his own business. He was at a party. He just wanted to have fun just like anyone else's children. They bothered him — he was just trying to defend himself, that's all.
"He was a good little boy. He didn't deserve this. He wasn't with (the gang). He didn't know them. They just came and took his chain."
Brother Kyron, 24, said: "Kellon just wasn't giving the chain up without a fight. It was his. It was just something that was his. He still would have gone back to get his bike keys or his helmet or anything that they would try to take. It didn't have to be the chain.
"He wasn't going to watch them walk away. You don't expect them to put a knife on you."
Regarding specifics of the attack, Mrs. Hill said Police had only told them Kellon was stabbed. Police say 75 people were present when the incident happened, but so far they have only spoken to a handful.
Keira reflected on the culture of silence which has hampered Police's attempts to catch a number of murderers in recent years.
She said: "Nobody will probably ever find out who did it. All those guys who were up there. Somebody knows who did it. Somebody knows. But nobody is going to say.
"It's a crime. Stealing is a crime. You can't just steal somebody's stuff and get away scot-free. You end up killing somebody. It's a crime. You can't get back a life."
Kyron called for the killer to turn himself in.
"As far as the person who did this goes, I would just encourage them to let go of that whole way of thinking," he said.
"Forget about that whole way of life. Get on the stand and face the consequences. Pursue a different goal, a different ambition other than the one that caused you to take my brother's life.
"You can tell me sorry all day, every day, but you can't bring my brother back. Do your time, do whatever the judge tells you. Don't pick that up again and don't ever touch another chain."
Oldest sister Kina, 30, called for Bermuda's leaders to get to grips with ongoing gang trouble.
"What is Bermuda doing to change this? What can we do? What's Government doing to change this? What is the Premier going to do to stamp out this gang mentality?" she asked.
Ideas Kina suggested included curfews, lengthy jail sentences, heavier fines for people caught carrying weapons and spot-checks at functions.
Kellon had been due to fly out to Alabama today to begin a college business course, inspired by his brother Kyron.
Asked how the family would like Kellon to be remembered, Keira pointed to examples of his mischievous nature, including a time when he ate the entire box of ice cream and put the empty packet in the fridge to fool his siblings.
Kyron mentioned his fun-loving nature and the way he used to carry his bible around with him and memorise lines. He described him as family-orientated and "just a very innocent person".