Slain teen's family, friends remember him

Lynne Lynch/Columbia Basin Herald<br> A small memorial was erected this week along Patton Boulevard for Juan Vasquez Jr., 19. The Moses Lake teen died Tuesday from gunshot wounds.

by Lynne Lynch <Br
| June 19, 2009 9:00 PM

MOSES LAKE — The late Juan Vasquez Jr., 19, of Moses Lake, was adventurous and well-loved by his family and friends, his uncle, Bob Ambris, said Thursday.

Lately, Juan showed interest in working on his car, a 1990 Honda CRX, Ambris said.

It ended up being the vehicle Juan was shot to death in Tuesday while driving near Gen. James H. Doolittle Park near Moses Lake.

Law enforcement is looking for suspects in his death and haven’t made any arrests as of Thursday, according to the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

“The little car he died in, I just helped him get that,” Ambris said. “His deal was, was to make it a fast car. He loved doing everything. Whatever you wanted to do, he was ready to do it.”

Ambris, and his wife Geneva, are mourning their nephew’s loss deeply.

It’s because Juan lived with them at intervals throughout his childhood and his teen years. Bob Ambris said he thought of the Juan as his son.

Juan was a Big Bend Community College student taking business courses, a skateboarder, a snowboarder and a Moses Lake Parks and Recreation employee, said Geneva Ambris.

But Juan wasn’t involved with a gang, Bob Ambris said.

Grant County Undersheriff John Turley expanded upon a statement he made Wednesday about Juan having a gang affiliation.

He explained Juan was a former affiliate of a disbanded area gang, not a gang member. An affiliate is someone who associates with or is friends with a gang member.

Turley said Juan was trying to clean up his life, was living on his own and took up the hobby of skateboarding.

“He wasn’t trying to straighten up his life,” Bob Ambris said. “He did straighten up his life.”

Geneva Ambris said their nephew had “tons of good friends,” some who spoke at his candlelight ceremony Wednesday at the Moses Lake Skate Park.

They shared memories of Juan and reminisced about the good times and fun they shared, she said.

“A lot of people showed up that wanted to be there,” Bob Ambris said. “He was a well-loved kid.”

Relatives also spoke at the ceremony, which attracted more than 200 people.

Yellow balloons were tied around the fence surrounding the park. Some people were holding candles and many were hugging as they began to leave.

Moses Lake police and Grant County deputies maintained the border of the vigil for safety purposes.

Colleen Allison, of Moses Lake, said her son Anthony was Juan’s friend. She also attended the ceremony and called Juan “a wonderful kid.”

She placed a dozen white roses along Patton Boulevard, where his car wrecked after the deadly shooting.

“All of these kids are just so devastated about this senseless act,” Allison said. “Pookie (Juan) set a very good example to the younger kids. He was working and had all these dreams and things he was going to do.”

A memorial account in Juan’s name was opened at Horizon Credit Union. Horizon has two locations in Moses Lake, at 1704 S. Clover Drive and at Safeway, 601 S. Pioneer Way.

A funeral service time was unavailable Thursday.