Friends share memories of latest homicide victim

“(He was) everybody’s best friend, he was Pede,” said MacLean. “He was just so full of love, so full of life. He was my brother. He was like Cody’s brother. We had the coolest handshake ever,” he added, laughing.

The three met more than six years ago, a moment Schenkey and MacLean won’t forget.

“We met one day and just kind of really clicked and then, next thing you know, a month later, he’s living at my house and we’re spending every day together,” Schenkey said.

“He moved in with my best friend, Cody, and then, I don’t know, the kid was just so full of light, it was, like, magnetic. Everybody was attracted to him.”

His friends say Pede was someone they knew they could always count on.

The 24-year-old was found by police on New Year’s Eve, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to hospital in Calgary but was taken off life support earlier this week.

During the initial stages of the police investigation, there was a lot of speculation made by friend’s of Pede’s over social media, about who did it and why.

“A lot of people were all over the place,” said Schenkey. “It was really aggravating and confusing ’cause nobody had a straight answer, so I just shut my phone off and just waited until I could hear the truth.”

Police have said Pede’s death was linked to drugs, but his friends say they have no idea what happened the night he was shot.

“It’s just really unfortunate to hear,” Schenkey said. “You grow up with people and it’s just sad to know that there’s situations that people are in, in town here that… people can get shot.”

But that’s not how Pede’s being remembered.

“Pede was the best friend anybody could ever ask for,” MacLean said.

“(There’s) so many pictures and good times,” Schenkey added. “It’s just been really hard to believe what’s happened the last couple of days… can’t really believe it.”

by Ashley Wiebe

Friends share memories of latest homicide victim

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