Hundreds Attend Slain Volleyball Star's Funeral

The 23-year-old was fatally shot Saturday in her car in St. Louis

Friends and family gathered Thursday to mourn the death of Wheaton volleyball star Megan Boken.

The 23-year-old was fatally shot Saturday in her car at an intersection in St. Louis while in town for a volleyball reunion game.

"This is a horrible tragedy for the family and she's in a better place right now," said Boken's cousin Lisa Pataki. "That's important for us to realize. She's just a beautiful person inside and out."

Boken played volleyball at St. Francis High School in Wheaton and led the team to a state championship in 2006. She moved to St. Louis to play volleyball at St. Louis University and was there to play in an alumni game when she was killed.

"She was everything," said David Bruckner a friend from SLU. "She was always happy, always in a great mood, always willing to help me out. She'll be missed dearly."

Ribbons the color of blue Boken wore on her high school and college teams circled nearby treed as a way for the community to remember her. Hundreds attended her visitation on Wednesday at St. Francis.

"Last night there was a line for three or four hours that were a couple hundred people deep," said Michael Burke, a family friend. "It's great that the community came out supporting this beautiful girl. She will be sorely missed."

During the funeral there was a prayer service held on the campus.

St. Louis Police on Thursday said they are questioning a person of interest in Boken's murder. 

Police are investigating her death as a "probable attempted robbery" since there's no evidence Boken knew the suspect. Witnesses told police they saw a man arguing with Boken before firing shots into the car.

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