The murder of a man who had already accomplished so much and inspired so many in his 33 years of life must not stand in the way of continuing the good work he had started.

That was the message to the friends, family and community members who gathered Jan. 7 for the funeral Mass of El Monte community leader Agustin Roberto "Bobby" Salcedo, who was found murdered with five other men Dec. 31 after being kidnapped from a restaurant-bar in Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico, his wife's hometown.

"Initially, you feel anger, frustration or whatever, but you've got to realize that God is still in control," said Father Alberto Villalobos, pastor of Nativity Church in El Monte, who preached at the funeral Mass. "You've got to turn that anger and frustration to Him and see something positive."

California-born Salcedo and his wife Betzy, visiting Gomez Palacio during the holiday period, had gone to dinner with friends Dec. 30. Shortly after midnight a group of armed and masked men burst into the bar asking for the owner of a truck parked outside the facility; when no one claimed it, the men took Salcedo and five others after checking other bar patrons and slapping them around. Among the five was one of Betzy's best friends and his two brothers.

Several hours later, authorities found the dead bodies of the six men, four (including Salcedo) with a single gunshot wound to the head, two with several wounds each. Mexican officials told the Los Angeles Times the latter two could have been the targets, related to drug dealing, though none of the six had criminal records.

'He was the best teacher'
Salcedo had close ties with Gomez Palacio, a city in northeastern Durango with a population of about 240,000 (and a reputation for violence: in 2008, 600 people were killed in Durango, making it the fourth-deadliest state in Mexico).

As past president of the South El Monte Sister City Association, a non-profit group that promotes cultural understanding with other cities, including Gomez Palacio, he frequently traveled there to support the community with funds raised in the U.S. for scholarships, clinics, firefighters and orphanages.

Salcedo also served on the international board of the U.S./Mexico Sister Cities Association.

"He was very friendly with the people and treated everyone really nice," said Andy Fernandez, Salcedo's former student at El Monte High School, where Salcedo served as an assistant principal, advisor and track and field coach. "He was the best teacher; he was there for any student."

For 10 years Fernandez traveled to Gomez Palacio with Salcedo and other members of the sister cities organization bringing school supplies and other items to schools and orphanages.

"It was shocking to hear that he had been killed there, when he was so caring," noted the 26-year-old Fernandez, now studying at Pasadena's Art Center College of Design. He said that regardless of the tragedy he will continue helping the people of Gomez Palacio.

"He did a lot for Gomez Palacio," added Father Villalobos, "and it's ironic that it was the place where he died."

The Salcedos used to visit Betzy's family. They met when she came to the U.S. as part of a student exchange program between the sister cities. Betzy is a physician who Bobby encouraged to get her accreditation to work in the U.S. Before heading to Gomez Palacio to celebrate New Year's with her family, she had completed her accreditation paperwork.

A challenge to cities
During his homily at Salcedo's funeral Mass Father Villalobos urged the assembly to realize the price that is paid as a result of people using drugs ("which is a pretty big problem in El Monte," he later told The Tidings).

"It's not just the drugs, but the lives that are taken," Father Villalobos told the standing-room-only church.

Cardinal Roger Mahony, who presided at the Mass with Auxiliary Bishops Gabino Zavala and Alexander Salazar concelebrating, praised Salcedo for his work with the youth. He then challenged El Monte to lead other cities in becoming drug-free communities.

"What if the city council, and the school board and all of the leaders of the church and all of the organizations of El Monte said together, 'We will make El Monte a drug-free city, where no one will use or purchase drugs'?," the cardinal asked.

"That will put the dealers out of business. And if we were to do that, why not extend it? Why couldn't Alhambra do the same thing? Why couldn't Baldwin Park do the same thing? Why couldn't the entire San Gabriel Valley become drug-free? If we did that, my friends, we would put those people totally out of business."

Cardinal Mahony urged the assembly to follow Salcedo's example as a community leader. "Let us transform that leadership into a wave of leadership across this city and this valley," he said.

'He helped young people'
At his funeral, Salcedo was remembered as a prominent member of the community, passionate about youth and education. At the time of his death, he was completing work on a doctorate in educational leadership at UCLA.

He was also a founding member of the El Monte Coalition of Latino Professionals, an organization committed on community development in the greater El Monte area. "Bobby helped bring young people to their best potential, to their full potential, and he saw education as the way to do it," Cardinal Mahony said. "And so his goodness is what sustains all of us today."

"He helped young people get college degrees, he was well respected and played an important role in the community," added Mayor Andre Quintero of El Monte, a longtime friend of Salcedo, and one of many government officials attending the funeral Mass. Others included Rep. Judy Chu, State Senator Gilbert Cedillo and L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina.

Quintero said he would work with the Salcedo family to develop a way to honor Salcedo's legacy. "The council will consider March 21 as the day to honor him declaring it a Day of Service, when we will mobilize the community to serve others."

A Jan. 23 interfaith prayer service will be held at Nativity, where the circumstances that led to Salcedo's death and the lessons people can learn from the tragedy will be recalled.

"He was a very funny and caring individual," said Oscar Gomez, a counselor at El Monte View High School and Salcedo's friend. "He introduced me to her," he said, pointing to his girlfriend standing next to him. "This was a devastating loss for everyone and especially for his close-knit family."

Strong faith
Salcedo was born into a strong Catholic family, said Father Villalobos. His parents, Carlos and Graciela Salcedo, placed great importance on education and church.

The family belonged to Epiphany Church in South El Monte, when Father Villalobos was an associate pastor and a teacher at Epiphany School, attended by Bobby and his four siblings. Bobby was an altar server at Epiphany, became involved in the confirmation program, and helped lead guest retreats for students.

According to Father Villalobos, Salcedo understood the importance of guiding and advising youth. "He was always talking to them at school, after Mass or on the parish grounds," he said.

Elva Rosas concurred. Her son Alejandro was Salcedo's student at El Monte High and is now enrolled at Cal State Los Angeles.

"He motivated my son to become a better person and to go to college," she told The Tidings. "I will be forever grateful to him."

Most of Carlos and Graciela Salcedo's children are serving in education in the San Gabriel Valley. Carlos Salcedo is currently an El Monte Union High School board member.

"Bobby could have easily become one of the next city officials," added Eric A. Walterscheid, senior detective for El Monte's police department. "He was pro-public safety."

Father Villalobos prefers to remember what the youth leader did in his short life. "It is about the impact you make on others, about what you do with the time God gives you, not about how many years you live," he said.

It is through their deep faith that the Salcedo family is coping with the anger, frustration and pain of losing their loved one, Father Villalobos added.

"I'm not trying to canonize him, but he is an example of what it is to be a good Catholic," said the pastor. "Bobby was a man of deep faith, an example to young men of what it is to be a God-loving man, a man who believed that God was important in his life. He didn't just say, 'Yes, I'm Catholic.' He lived it."