Giving voice for one silenced

PHILADELPHIA — This holiday season has been difficult for Warwick resident Kendell Kless and her family.

Last Jan. 14, her son Kevin, 23, a graduate of Warwick Valley High School and Temple University, was beaten to death on the streets of Philadelphia.

Kevin Kless, who was living and working in Philadelphia, was leaving a restaurant and lounge in the City’s historic district with his girlfriend and a second female companion around 2:30 a.m. when he tried and failed to hail a taxi.

He shouted angrily at the cab and the suspects, traveling close to that taxi in another vehicle, likely believed his anger was directed at them.

They got out of their car and beat the young man unconscious in front of the two women who screamed for help. He was rushed to Jefferson Hospital and died that evening as a result of severe head trauma.

It was during the funeral service in Warwick that word began to spread that his killers had just been apprehended.

Motivated by a $20,000 reward, a tipster led police to the suspects: Steven Ferguson, 20, Kenneth Santiago, 19, and Felix Carrillo, 23.

Carpool available

At noon next Friday, Jan. 4, defendant Felix Carillo will plead guilty to a plea bargain. He will also be sentenced at this hearing, which will take place in front of Court of Common Pleas Judge Benjamin Lerner.

“Members of our family,” said Kendell Kless, “will be presenting a ‘Victims’ Impact Statement,’ which allows us, for the first time, to comment on how this crime has affected our lives. I am presenting a statement and my son Matt is presenting one. And one of Kevin’s best college friends will also be presenting his statement. The emotions of these events, strung together in such a short span of time, are inexplicable. I personally look forward to having the opportunity to speak publicly about this crime, though we all know it is going to be an extremely difficult time.”

The Kless family is thankful for all the support they have received from this community and they want everyone to know that this hearing is open to those who support them. Attending the hearing can be helpful to a just outcome.

“If anyone local would like to go,” said Kless, “my friend Oney Huffman has agreed to help coordinate carpooling. Her number is 986-3221.”

The hearing is at the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center, courtroom 1105, 1301 Filbert St., Philadelphia, Pa. It is expected to take approximately two hours.

- Roger Gavan