Funeral Services Tuesday For Christian Aguilar
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – Family and friends of Christian Aguilar, the University of Florida student whose remains were found earlier this month in Levy County, will gather this week to say goodbye.
Aguilar's parents will pick up his body Monday in Gainesville.
A memorial service will be held at St. Dominic's Catholic Church, at 5909 NW Seventh St. in Miami at 1 p.m. Following the funeral Mass, burial will be at 3 p.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Cemetery in Doral. The funeral will be open to the public. Carlos Aguilar said the public and the media helped bring his son home for a proper burial.
Two of Aguilar's aunts in Colombia have been granted nonimmigrant visas to travel to Florida for the funeral. The women had previously been denied humanitarian visas on the grounds that they failed to present strong enough ties to Colombia.
Aguilar's friend, 18-year old Pedro Bravo, has been charged with first-degree murder.
The public defender's office has said they plan to file a not guilty plea on Bravo's behalf. Bravo's family has said they do not have the money to hire a private attorney for a potentially lengthy trial.
Aguilar was last seen in a Gainesville Best Buy with Bravo on September 20th. Aguilar's remains were found about 20 miles outside Cedar Key in heavily wooded area.
Police say Bravo originally told them that he beat Aguilar unconscious and left him in a parking lot.
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