UPDATE: 3 Revelus siblings side-by-side at funeral

We first brought you the tragic story of the Revelus family, last week. All three Revelus children (including Kirby Revelus, who murdered his two sisters) were laid to rest in a joint ceremony (video below).

It is unimaginable what this family must be going through right now. I am glad to see that the community has rallied around them. I truly hope that this tragedy will bring further awareness to mental illness:

"(NECN: Stephen Iandoli, Mattapan, Mass.) - The sole survivor of a rampage that left three of her siblings dead, little Sarafina Revelus, 9, was recently released from the hospital and limped into the Jubilee Christian Church Saturday to say goodbye.

In an extremely emotional final farewell, where one person had to be taken away by ambulance, more than a thousand friends, family and well-wishers packed the Mattapan Church to pay their final respect to 17-year-old Samantha and 5-year-old Bianca -- sisters taken way too early, but remembered for the impact they made in such a short time.

Kerby Revelus, 23, who killed his sisters in their Milton home last weekend before police shot and killed him, lay next to them at the funeral. The Revelus siblings will be laid to rest side-by-side.

"She's still the mother of all three," Revelus family spokesman Ernst Guerrier said. "There was absolutely no discussion of ever having two separate ceremonies. From the very beginning it was always going to be that three children were going to be buried together."

A trust fund has also been set up for the Revelus Children at Citizen's Bank. The family did extend an invitation to the funeral to the Milton PD. They did not attend. The Revelus family attorney said he believes that was probably out of respect for the family.

NECN's Stephen Iandoli reports." Source: NECN

direct link to video

Jiverly Voong, Kills 13 in NY, Fifth Massacre in Past Month, Three Cops Killed in Standoff at Richard Poplawski's Stanton Heights, Pa. Residence

Jiverly Voong, AKA Jiverly Wong (Photo: NY Daily News)

There is a very serious problem simmering in this country -- escalating gun violence. Something drastic needs to be done and quickly. We cannot just sit by and watch people being gunned down in this country on a weekly basis. The massacre in upstate New York comes on the heels of the massacre in the North Carolina nursing home, the massacre in Alabama, the mass killings of Lovelle Mixon of four police officers in Oakland, California, the slayings in Boston by Kerby Revelus of his sisters, as well as the rising incidents of murder-suicides in this country. It seems that the underlying theme in all these horrific crimes are extreme rage, financial hardships and easy access to high-powered guns. It is time for this country to enact stricter gun control laws, including zero-tolerance to offenders.

Coming on the heels of this senseless massacre, five police officers have been shot, three killed, at a Stanton Heights residence in Pittsburgh, Pa., after police tried to serve a warrant. There was a stand-off, with the suspect, Richard Poplawski, who was barricaded inside the home. It is now being reported that he is now in police custody. According to media reports, friends said Mr. Poplawski had several guns, including an AK-47 assault-type rifle, a .357 Magnum revolver, a .380-caliber handgun and a .45-caliber handgun. This gun-loving lunatic was afraid President Obama would ban firearms. The three dead officers are Eric Kelly, Stephen Mayhle and Paul Sciullo III. Kelly had been on the force for 14 years and the other two only two years each. Another officer was shot in the hand and a fifth broke his leg on a fence.

Mr. Voong was a Vietnamese immigrant who decided to play "judge and jury" with the lives of innocent people. Though no motive for the massacre has been released, it is ironic that he chose a place where he could identify with some of the people -- the American Civic Association. The community center was filled with people from different countries, all working to become a part of their new home -- learning English, taking a class to become an American citizen, much like the gun did when he became a citizen decades ago. He planned this massacre down to the last detail, as evident in his actions. He parked his car against the back door, stormed through the front and started his short reign of terror. Some people ran to the boiler room to get away from this horror. When the dust settled, 13 innocent people were dead, before he apparently killed himself. Four were critically wounded and fighting for their lives.

The man was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in an office, a satchel containing ammunition slung around his neck, authorities said. Police found two handguns - a nine mm and a .45-caliber - as well as a hunting knife, authorities said. He was prepared to do irreparable damage and, shamefully, he succeeded. It has been reported that he was angry at losing his job and he couldn't speak English very well. We are all experiencing some financial hardships in this economic climate, but you don't just pull the trigger and kill others to solve your problems. It is being reported in the New York Daily News that he reportedly talked to his coworkers about guns and that he was angry. He also reportedly went to target practice every weekend, another reason why he was able to do so much damage at the civic center.

These are two senseless crimes. At least Mr. Poplawski is still alive and will face some serious charges. We have to find a way to curb this escalating gun violence -- from the streets of the inner cities to the suburbs, there should be zero tolerance. We are experiencing an unprecedented level of violence that has no end in sight. I have lost count of the incidents that have occurred in the last six months alone. We have lost seven police officers in three weeks and numerous civilians. This bloodshed has to end.

Kerby Revelus, 23, Goes on Murderous Rampage, Kills Two Siblings, Samantha, 17, Beheads Bianca, 5, and Stabs Saraphina, 9

Samantha Revelus, along with her 5-year-old sister, Bianca, left. Third sister, Saraphina, 9, center, was hospitalized with stab wounds (Boston Globe)



What could possess Kerby Revelus to go on a murderous rampage, killing two of his sisters and slashing one, is reprehensible and inexplicable. Today, students and faculty of Milton High School are mourning the death of Samantha "Princesse," a very promising young lady. The school's principal, John Drottar said that the honor roll student was "a capable, bright, and gracious young woman," who had hoped to study graphic design after her graduation. She will be remembered "for all her positive attributes and her contributions to our school," he said.



Revelus, 17, was stabbed to death, along with her 5-year-old sister, Bianca, who was decapitated, on Saturday by her brother, Kerby, 23. He was then fatally shot by police. A third sister, Saraphina, 9, is hospitalized with stab wounds. The motive for the stabbings remains a mystery, but according to the Boston Herald, Kerby Revelus often seemed confused to neighbors and friends after he returned home several months ago from a stint in jail.

Drottar said Samantha Revelus was "an invested student of our school," who was a member of the Poetry Club and the Caribbean Cape Verdean Club, known as the 3 C's. "While seemingly shy and reserved, reciting at the Poetry Jam or walking the runway in the 3 C's fashion show showed her confidence and spirit," he said. "She held the regard of her peers and the faculty. Her investment in her academics and her school was exemplary. ... Her teachers know her as an engaged student -- one who participated, one who cared about her studies, and one who cared about her interactions with peers and teachers."



Another sibling, Jessica Revelus, 21, said her parents, Regine, 42, who works at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Vronze, 45, who is a bus driver for Local Motion, a private transport company, were at work when the attack occurred. No parent should have to deal with such a horrific tragedy and at the hands of their son. Jessica said Kerby and Bianca were her biological siblings. Their parents adopted Samantha and Saraphina and brought them from Haiti around 2004. Saraphina's father is the nephew of Samatha's father, who died in Haiti. Source: Boston Globe

I am just so saddened by the fate that has befallen this family and pray that they will find strength and courage to go on. This young man was cruel beyond words and I am, indeed, saddened that he will not be brought to justice for these heinous crimes. There is a broader issue here and that has to do with parolees finding gainful employment. A relative has been said that he had been depressed recently because his criminal record was preventing him from finding a job. Though that is clearly no excuse for what he has done, it is an important issue that confronts many people convicted of a crime. Everyone can't be an entrepreneur, so that is not a viable alternative either.



I know that times are challenging for us all, but if you can spare a few dollars, please send it to this family. Local Motion, the father's company, has set up a fund for the family. Donations can be made to the Revelus Family Fund, c/o Citizens Bank, 540 Granite St., Braintree, MA 02184.