FORT WRIGHT, Ky. — Fort Wright police announced Friday they were investigating "an incident" that lead to the hospitalization and eventual death of 30-year-old Devin Simpson a week earlier.
Saturday evening, dozens of friends and family members set the details aside for a vigil in Simpson's honor.
His mom, Angela Barrett, said seeing the large outpouring of love for her son and the now grieving family gave her some relief.
"It makes me very proud of my son," Barrett said. "I had no idea that there were this many people, and more, so many more."
Those around her, like step-father Robert Couch, had nothing but nice things to say about the man who loved to fish, hunt, shoot guns and work.
"He'll give you the shirt off his back," Couch said, "and he'll make you feel good about doing it. If it was raining outside and you were wet, and he gave you his shirt, he'd tell you he needed a shower."
Others, while heartened by the show of support, said they're still overtaken by bouts of sadness.
"I wake up, I was at work the other day, and I just sat down because I started crying," said family friend Douglas Enlow. "I couldn't hardly function at work."
Police have released few details about why Simpson was sent to the hospital beyond that they've opened an investigation, but many at the vigil believed he was beaten to death while trying to break up a fight between a man and a woman.
"He was definitely a hero," Couch said. "He actually went out trying to save a young lady."
The Hamilton County Coroner's Officer listed "apparent homicide" as Simpson's cause of death, leading all in the crowd — many of whom wore "Justice for Devin" t-shirts — to all call for one thing.
"That's the only thing I'm going to accept is justice for Devin," Barrett said.
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