Remembering Lily Burk

Classmates and friends of Lily Burk mourn her death. The 17-year-old Oakwood Secondary School student was an actress, singer, writer and National Merit scholar who gave “the best hugs,” according to one speaker.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

A portrait of Lily Burk greets mourners as they sign in for the memorial in her honor in Barnsdall Park.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Many at the service wept, others hugged and some sat in stunned silence  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Charles Samuel, who is accused of killing 17-year-old Lily Burk, appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court, July 28, 2009.  (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

A makeshift memorial for Lily Burk outside a Wilshire Place parking entrance to Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles. Burk had picked up some papers at the school for her mother, an entertainment attorney who teaches there, before being abducted, police say.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Suzan Pour-Sanae, who works near Southwestern University School of Law, west of downtown Los Angeles, says, “It’s scary, really scary,” referring to the apparent abduction near the school of Lily Burk, who was later found slain. “I’m fearful about walking alone anywhere around here.”  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

A small memorial sits beside a parking entrance to Southwestern University School of Law, where Lily Burk had gone to pick up some papers before she was slain.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

A woman walks along Wilshire Place in Los Angeles near Southwestern University School of Law. Police believe Lily Burk was abducted from this area by Charlie Samuel on Friday afternoon.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Warehouse worker Everardo Gutierrez, 41, lights a candle and leaves it in memory of Lily Burk at the site where her body was found. Gutierrez, who works nearby, said, “I saw it on the news and wanted to pay my respects.”  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Warehouse worker Charlie Pleng, 22, called police after finding Lily Burk’s body early Saturday outside Jing San Food Inc. at 5th and Alameda streets, where he works.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Alfredo Padron, 55, pushes a cart of his belongings near the site where Lily Burk was found Saturday. Police say Samuel approached Burk about 3 p.m. Friday near Southwestern University School of Law on Wilshire Boulevard, where she was picking up papers for her mother. LAPD officers saw Samuel on 3rd Street at 5:25 p.m. drinking beer and in possession of a crack pipe. He was arrested.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

LAPD 1st Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell arrives at Parker Center with City Councilwoman Jan Perry, left, to announce that Charlie Samuel, a transient, had been booked on suspicion of murder and was being held without bail in Burk’s slaying.  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

An LAPD officer examines Lily Burk’s black Volvo. Her body was found in the car Saturday morning at 5th and Alameda streets in downtown Los Angeles.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)