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DRAPER — It's been six months since the body of 15-year-old Anne Kasprzak was found floating in the Jordan River.
Within a week, police announced the arrest of 31-year-old Daniel Robert Lehi Ferry and booked him into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of homicide in connection with the Riverton teen's death.
Six months later, however, no formal charges have been filed by the Salt Lake District Attorney's Office in connection with her death, and Draper police have remained tight-lipped about the investigation.
Friday, a few of the Riverton teen's close friends gathered at the Draper foot bridge near 12600 South along the Jordan River Parkway Trail to read letters they had written for her.
"Anne, it's so hard to believe and hard to think about how you are gone," Kasprzak's friend Sylvia Yang said. "You shouldn't have gone through that much pain, you didn't deserve it."
Kasprzak's friends — Yang, Mikayla Yuhas and Chelsea Poyurs — brought a picture of Kasprzak along with candles and a friendship ring for her to leave at the bridge.
Poyurs got four friendship rings, one for each of the girls and Kasprzak, to insure that she is never forgotten.
"Chelsea got all four of us friendship rings," Yang said, "and we're going to do our best to keep your memory alive."
All three friends teared up as they read their letters to Kasprzak. They also a left a green jacket that one of them had borrowed from Kasprzak.
One of Kasprzak's bloody sneakers was found along the Jordan River Parkway Trail near where her friends read their letters. Her body was found in the water further down the river.
Ferry remains incarcerated and is in prison for other crimes. Family members of Ferry are sticking by him, strongly disputing accusations that he killed Kasprzak.
In June, Ferry was sentenced to up to 15 years at the Utah State Prison after reaching a plea agreement in three unrelated cases. He pleaded guilty to kidnapping, attempted drug possession with intent to distribute, and drug distribution.
In addition to Ferry, Veanuia Vehekite, 30, was being booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of murder in connection with Kasprzak's death, but as of Friday had not been charged. He was, however, charged in an unrelated case in 3rd District Court with aggravated burglary, aggravated assault and cruelty to an animal.
