Uel Vela Jr

Death by Force

On a cold Friday morning, February 2, 1996, in the small town of Moses Lake, Washington, the life of 14-year-old Manuel Vela Jr. was tragically cut short in an act of violence that shook the community to its core. That day, classes at Frontier Junior High School had a delayed start due to the frigid temperatures, a detail that provided a fellow student, 14-year-old Barry Loukaitis, with time alone at his home. Loukaitis, a student described as smart and nerdy but also having a dark side, was rep ...Read More

Boy, 14, With Rifle Kills 3 in School (Published 1996)

Manuel Vela, Jr, age 14 - National Gun Violence Memorial