Walnut Creek high school students pay respects to former classmate

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KGO) -- Students at a Walnut Creek high school came together to pay their respects to a former classmate. Clare Orton, 19, was killed in what police described as a murder-suicide.

Orton graduated from Las Lomas High School last summer, but she left a lasting impression on her school.

The organizers of this event say they were shocked to hear she was gone.

"I'm best friends with her brother. And I just remember feeling shocked. And so many others felt exactly the same way," said vigil organizer Jarrod Marcus-Brooks.

The school is on summer break so the organizers had expected a smaller turnout. Classes don't resume until August 24 so organizers are a little overwhelmed by the turnout tonight.

About 200 people came. "We were thinking 25 - 30 people. And then I emailed one of my teachers and he was like, I'm going to let the entire cross country team know, and all of the teachers," said Marcus-Brooks.

The crowd held candles around her picture, then made a short procession to the schools running field. She was a cross country star, and an honor student. Orton was at her parents' home, back from her first year of college. Police say she was shot to death by her ex-boyfriend, Scott Bertics, who was from Lafayette, who then turned the gun on himself.

The vigil was an opportunity for as many people as possible to come together and grieve.

"This is supposed to be a positive experience a positive outlet, for people to speak," vigil organizer Donovan Rogers said.

But the crowd stayed mostly silent through the whole event.