Mourners Remember Young Slaying Victim

Several hundred families crowded into La Crescenta Presbyterian Church on Friday evening to mourn the death of 13-year-old Chris McCulloch.

His bludgeoned body and that of his friend, 14-year-old Blaine Talmo Jr., were found Sunday at Valley View Elementary School in the Glendale portion of the La Crescenta community. A memorial for Blaine will be held today at 11 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montrose.

Inside the church Friday, Chris’ mother, Aileen Bristow, told the standing-room-only crowd, “This week I’ve been to hell and back, and I’d like to take this opportunity to stand up and say, ‘Enough is enough,’ ” apparently referring to the violence that befell her son and his friend.

Bristow said that in the last few months, her son came home only to change his clothes, preferring to spend time with his friends.

“It was like he was in a hurry,” she said. “Only when he was really tired did he come back for a few days to lay his beautiful head on his own pillow.

“Some of you are probably asking, ‘Why didn’t you stop him? God knows I tried.’ ”

She recalled the time he got his ear pierced over her objections. Afterward, she complimented him, she said, and told him, ‘If only we could find a way to channel that [defiant energy] in another direction.”

The last week of his life was full of positive changes, Bristow said. He had gotten in touch with the church and was spending time there with 18-year-old youth volunteer Angus Hall.

“It was like a light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “I know many of his friends saw a change in Christopher in the last week.”

His best friend, Michael Humami, broke down sobbing as he talked about Chris.

“He was like a brother to me,” Michael said. “We would do everything together. We would sleep over, we would have water gun fights. All of you be careful; see what happened to them. Be very careful.”

Michael H. Demirdjian, a 15-year-old from La Crescenta, has been charged with two counts of murder and robbery in the case. His arraignment has been set for Aug. 9 to allow his defense to challenge a new state law that requires him to be tried as an adult.

Glendale police say they are still conducting extensive interviews with people who may have knowledge of the killings.

“Whether that pans out to be additional suspects or more, we don’t know,” said police spokesman Chahe Keuroghelian.

Keuroghelian said drugs may have played a role in the killings, but would not elaborate.

The Rev. Andrew M. Wilson, pastor of La Crescenta Presbyterian, warned the young people gathered there to stay away from drugs.

“Blaine and Chris made some choices that put them in danger,” he said. “ We don’t know all the details, but we know that Blaine and Chris had gotten involved to some extent with drugs. . . . When you buy drugs or share even a joint or pass it around at a park, you’re putting yourself and your community at risk.”

Police arrested Adam Walker, 19, in connection with the case Tuesday, but later released him to Burbank police on an unrelated burglary charge. Glendale police said Walker is not a suspect in the killings.

His father, Steve, said his son “wasn’t there; he wasn’t involved. He didn’t even know them. He’s a good kid.”

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Times staff writer Jeffrey Gettleman contributed to this story.