Family and friends of homicide victim say he was dreaming of a stable life

By Brian Ballou, Globe Staff

With no arrests yet in the triple homicide at a house party in Dorchester early Saturday, the family and friends of one of the victims, Felix Garcia, spoke about how he had taken on new responsibility recently and dreamed of a stable adulthood.

Garcia’s sisters, Michelle, 14, and Bryana, 17, said was always encouraging them to do their best.

People visited the family and stood in front of a makeshift memorial of candles and Garcia’s favorite sweet snack, Reese’s miniature peanut butter cups.

Garcia, 22, earned his GED last year and this month started working over 40 hours a week for W.B. Mason as a stockperson, his family and girlfriend, Kristina Acevedo, 20, said. He was in the process of applying to Bunker Hill Community College and was thinking about majoring in criminal justice or business management.

And he was recently appointed as the “building captain’”at his apartment complex by a member of the management. Garcia took the responsibility seriously, making sure that the hallways were free of gum or trash and that anything that was broken was reported, his family and girlfriend said.

He was looking forward to helping to organize a block party later this month. And Garcia had promised his sister Michelle, 14, a fast food burger and a milkshake after her graduation.

“We’re going to have to make that happen,” Precious Smith, a neighbor, declared as she sat in her living room and listened to the two sisters and Acevedo speak.