This time, they were joined by the family of Benjamin Varner, whose body was found Feb. 3. He was always reading and thinking about exploring around the world. . . . The first step in traveling around the world was when he enrolled in Gallaudet. Jordan also alluded to the challenge the campus has faced to endure this difficult year. I have been associated with Gallaudet almost 40 years, and at no time have I been more proud of Gallaudet than I am right now.
Investigators say robbery was the motive in each case.
They say Mesa gave a videotaped statement describing the crimes, and they say that forensic evidence also points to him. Varner's mother, Diane, and his sister, Jennifer, both said they have forgiven Mesa because that's what Varner would have wanted. Jennifer Varner told the audience of about 400 how she went to her brother's bedroom after his body was returned to San Antonio. She prayed to God for some kind of message to help her cope with this horror, and she pulled a book at random off her brother's bookshelf. It happened to hold wisdom from the Muslim faith, which her brother adopted as a teenager.