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Temple invites family of slain teen to make a plea

Father of Devon Allaire-Bell said Sunday event was 'fabulous
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Wayne Bell makes a plea to a Newton temple for information leading to his son's killers.

The family of a slain teen was invited to a local Sikh temple on the weekend to plead for information about their son's murder.

Devon Allaire-Bell, 19, and his friend Jack Nielson were playing soccer and having a few beers at Frank Hurt Secondary School on April 24.

They were approached by six Indo-Canadian males in their 20s, who got into a verbal altercation with Allaire-Bell and Nielson.

The bigger group drew knives and stabbed Nielson and Allaire-Bell, who succumbed to his injuries.

Allaire-Bell's father, Wayne Bell, was invited to speak at the Dasmesh Darbar Sikh Temple, at 85 Avenue and 128 Street, in Newton on Sunday morning.

Bell said it was an amazing experience, helping to dissolve any tensions that may have existed after the murder.

"It was absolutely fabulous," Bell said Monday. "There's a connection. Everybody's interest is the same, regardless of culture."

He was extremely impressed that the South Asian community reached out.

"The reception we got was incredible," Bell said, adding it was tough for the family emotionally. "It was very difficult for us to go through that again."

He's isn't sure whether or not Sunday's plea will help further the investigation to find his son's murderers, but he felt it was worth a try.

Investigators say they have found new footage from surveillance cameras that night, which provide clearer images of the suspected killers.

Police are trying to identify the suspects themselves before releasing the images to the media. The public may get a look at them in the next week or so.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team's tip line at 1-877-551-IHIT or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

@diakiw