Support for Leondre Richards

It’s been about one month since friends and family lost 20-year-old Leondre Richards in the night of home invasions and robberies in Yuma.

Family and friends are still mourning their loss, but are coming together to raise funds to support Leondre’s family. The event is at Applebee’s in Yuma and goes on until 10 p.m. tonight with 20 percent of all the proceeds going towards Leondre’s family to help with funeral expenses. Sarah Messe, a friend of Leondre who organized the event, says Leondre was always seen smiling, laughing with his friends, and a person who was a friend to anyone.

“It’s been very difficult, very hard, to not be able to pick up the phone and call him, I haven’t spoken to him in a while but we did go to high school together.He was very happy, very loving person and for him to be here it’s been different, whatever we earn for them, however much money it is, they put it towards whatever they need, whether it’s Leondre’s rest of funeral expenses, any other expenses they have, whatever they need, it can go to his mom it can go to anybody.”

This fundraiser follows the tragedy of a home invasion and robbery that took Leondre’s life and put his mother in serious condition. The investigation is still ongoing where six suspects are still in custody and are all facing several charges including first-degree murder. Four of the suspects are teenagers.

To read the latest update on this story click here.

Watch the full report at 5/6 p.m. in the Evening Edition.