Candlelight vigil Wednesday to remember Reed Keith

LANCASTER – Family members and friends will be holding a candlelight vigil for Reed Keith, the Lancaster business owner murdered during a robbery of his computer store on March 23.

The vigil will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 28, in front of e-Chaps Computers and More, located at 2007 W. Avenue K (20th West and Ave K) in Lancaster.

“It’s a time for memorial, a time for support, and a chance for the community to say goodbye to my father” said daughter Casey Keith.

Reed Keith, 59, was shot multiple times and died during an afternoon robbery of his store on Friday, March 23. A day later, authorities arrested 24-year-old Timothy Johnson for the crime. Tuesday, Johnson’s girlfriend was arrested for allegedly driving the getaway vehicle (read more here).

Casey Keith said she is still recovering from the shock and stress of the senseless crime that took the life of her father, but said she is comforted by the tremendous amount of support she has received from the community since the incident.

Still, Keith said she’s saddened by certain responses to the tragedy.

“It seems some people want to make this about race and about income groups or classes of people,” Keith said. “But there’s good and bad in all people, it doesn’t matter where you’re from or what your race is, people kill, people steal and people do bad things.”

Keith said she hopes the vigil will unite the community and allow it to heal from the tragic circumstances of last Friday. She said that’s what her father would have wanted.

“My father was someone who liked to help all people,” Keith said. “Race didn’t matter, sexuality didn’t matter to him, religion didn’t matter to him, he was probably the most fair, across the board open-minded guy I’ve ever known.”

Keith is asking those planning on attending Wednesday’s vigil to bring candles, well wishes and tolerance.

She said donations are also appreciated to support the wife that Reed Keith left behind.

“We’ve been provided assistance by the county for the burial costs because of the type of crime this was, so that’s not really an issue,” Keith said. “But there’s no retirement and no aftercare for my stepmother so we’re trying to figure out what we can do for her… any donation, not matter how small, can help quite a bit.”

Keith said employees at the Denny’s located next to her father’s store donated all their tips for two days following the incident. Denny’s Restaurant has also agreed to provide coffee for well wishers attending Wednesday’s vigil.