Church, college remember slain teens

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Caldwell Fields Campground

Less than a day after two of their own were found slain in Montgomery County, members of Heritage Baptist Church in Lynchburg gathered Friday evening to pray for the families of David Metzler and Heidi Childs.

At Virginia Tech, where both were sophomores, 100 students huddled together on the campus’ Drillfield, weeping and singing hymns as they mourned their two classmates.

Closer to home, funeral arrangements were announced for the two teenagers.

Meanwhile, Montgomery County authorities continued their investigation.

The killings, they said, appeared to be a “random act.”

Metzler, of Campbell County, and Childs, of Forest, were found by a passerby Thursday morning near Caldwell Fields campground with gunshot wounds.

That area of Jefferson National Forest, authorities said, serves as a nature viewing area for birds, wildflowers and sometimes deer.

Authorities said that Metzler was found inside his 1992 Toyota Camry, and Childs was found outside of it.

Prior to Friday evening’s prayer meeting, Marilyn Carrasco, who attended the gathering at Heritage Baptist Church, said she first met Metzler, 19, and Childs, 18, on a missionary trip to New Mexico in 2007.

Childs was part of the group Carrasco was supervising.

“I got to see her interact with the kids and play with them, and do games and teach a lesson,” Carrasco said, “and (was) able to see God in her life, and (Childs) trying to show that to the kids.”

She said she was always impressed by the pair’s friendship and the cheerfulness they displayed.

“They were just an example of God’s love to everybody,” she said.

In Blacksburg, members of Tech’s Campus Crusade for Christ, in which Childs and Metzler were both active, met in front of the campus chapel for a prayer service.

“They were just great. Real friendly, kind. Loved people. Really had a heart to help other students in any way they could,” group director Jeff Highfield told WSLS 10.

Highfield said Metzler was looking forward to working with freshmen as a Bible study group leader this year.

The group still held its regular meeting Thursday night, just hours after Childs and Metzler were named as the victims.

In front of the chapel, a wreath of orange and maroon flowers with two ribbons displayed the victims’ names.

At Burruss Hall, flags were lowered to half-staff.

Heritage youth pastor Kent Gregory said the church community is still reeling from the news.

Though they had been gone from the church for more than a year, he said, “the majority of the kids in youth group still know them.”

“They were two of the most godly young people that I’ve had the privilege of knowing,” Gregory said.

“Their faith drove everything they did, from their relationships with others, relationships with authority, their relationship with each other.”

Gregory said he heard the news Thursday afternoon and has been dealing with emotion since.

“Shock, anger, disbelief … extreme heartache,” he said.

Denise Grandstaff, who taught both in the church’s youth ministry, called them “amazing young people.”

“They were kind, they were compassionate, they were loving, and most of all, they loved the Lord,” she said.

The families will receive friends from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday. Metzler’s visitation will be at Heritage Baptist Church. Childs’ will be at Tharp Funeral Home.

Both services will take place Monday at Heritage Baptist Church. Metzler’s service is scheduled for 1 p.m., followed by Childs’ service at 3.

Both Metzler and Childs will be interred in Virginia Memorial Park following the second service.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office requested that anyone with information call the office at (540) 382-2951.

w WSLS 10 and The Washington Post contributed to this report.