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Mass held for LI victims of murder-suicide

Relatives and friends attended a special Mass Saturday to honor the victims of a family murder-suicide that sent shockwaves through Garden City last week. More than 100 people attended the Mass at St.

News 12 Staff

Apr 27, 2009, 2:45 PM

Updated 5,938 days ago

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Relatives and friends attended a special Mass Saturday to honor the victims of a family murder-suicide that sent shockwaves through Garden City last week.
More than 100 people attended the Mass at St. Joseph's Church in Garden City to pray for Betty Parente and her two daughters, 11-year-old Catherine and 19-year-old Stephanie, who were allegedly murdered by William Parente before he took his own life.
"They had a lot of friends who loved them very much, and that's why a lot of people are grief-stricken and full of sorrow," says Father Joe Schlafer, who conducted the Mass.
Catherine Parente's soccer teammates, dressed in identical shirts with the girl's name and uniform number, attended the Mass and afterward played a game in her honor.
The memorial comes almost a week after the three were killed in a Maryland hotel. Police say William Parente beat and asphyxiated his family before fatally cutting himself. Police still haven't released a motive, but William Parente's work as a short-term commercial loan broker is being investigated by state and federal officials.
Betty Parente and her daughters will be laid to rest Tuesday.