The communities of Anahim Lake and Bella Coola are preparing to bury Matthew Hennigar, 23, and Kalvin Andy, 22, the victims in the Boxing Day double homicide at Anahim Lake.
A drumming ceremony for both men will take place at Compassionate Care Funeral Home in Williams Lake beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 1.
Afterwards the two men's bodies will travel in a procession along Highway 20 to their home communities.
Andy's funeral will take place in Bella Coola at the cemetery on Saturday and Hennigar's will occur in Anahim Lake on Monday.
The deaths have impacted his community closely said Ulkatcho (Anahim Lake) Chief Zach Parker Tuesday.
"I knew the two young victims personally," Parker said. "I've known them since they were in diapers. There's no script in leadership or a handbook that prepares you for such tragic events."
Just before midnight on Dec. 26, the Anahim Lake RCMP received a report of gun shots fired at a home in the 2100 block of Dorsey Road.
When officers arrived they discovered Hennigar and Andy deceased at the scene.
In connection to the incident Everett O’Reilly, 27, has been charged with first degree murder, Christian Craciun, 28, Andrew Jongbloets, 25, and Serena Rhem, 26, have all been charged with second degree murder, while Lucille Mack, 33, and Stephen Mecham, 22, have been charged with manslaughter.
All six remain in custody and have appeared either by video or in person this week in provincial court in Williams Lake.
The next court appearance date for Mack is Jan. 6, Mecham on Jan. 7 and the other four on Jan. 14.