SHERBURNE – Former students, co-workers and friends of Keith Reed Jr., a high school principal at Sherburne-Earlville from 2005 to 2011, will gather tonight for a candlelight walk and vigil in honor of the slain educator, who was murdered at his Clymer home over the weekend.
Reed’s body was found by Clymer Sheriff’s deputies early Monday morning in the woods behind his Clymer-Sherman Road home with multiple gunshot wounds. He had last been seen on Friday and his death has been ruled a homicide by authorities. Since November of 2011, Reed had served as the superintendent of the Clymer Central School District, a small, rural community with a population of approximately 1,700 people.
The vigil and walk will be held at 7:45 p.m., convening at the S-E auditorium entrance located behind the school and following the district’s middle and high school Open House. The entire community is welcome to attend, said Sherburne-Earlville Superintendent Gayle Hellert, who added those wishing to participate should bring their own candles. The vigil will then proceed to the school’s main entrance, where students will be putting on a brief program in remembrance of the popular principal.
Both students and faculty, she added, are still in shock following Reed’s murder, and she stressed that all those who knew the one-time S-E educator are welcome to attend.
“We’re certainly opening this up to the community and everyone is welcome to come and participate ... please bring a candle and join us,” said Hellert, who added that the vigil was proposed by students, who’ve also put up a banner in memory of Reed in the school, now covered with students’ signatures. “It’s important for the students to remember him; he was very popular.”
Reed’s family, including his parents, siblings and three children, have been informed of the candlelight vigil, added Hellert, who said the family resides in the Salamanca area, east of the Town of Clymer.
Few details have been released on the homicide, although various news agencies, including the Jamestown Post-Journal, have reported that an autopsy, performed yesterday, confirmed the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds. The type of firearm used was not released and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation and New York State Police continue to investigate the incident.
Chautauqua County Sheriff Joe Gerace told the Post-Journal earlier today that, “At the same time that the investigators are working, we’re also working on evaluating evidence that has already been collected.”
According to the Elmira Star-Gazette, calling hours will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. today, and 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the O’Rourke & O’Rourke Funeral Home, 25 River St., Salamanca. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday at the United Congregational Methodist Church, with burial to follow in Crawford Cemetery, Salamanca. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Reed Education Fund c/o Cattaraugus County Bank, 550 Broad Street, Salamanca.