The parents of slain newspaper carrier Jeralee Underwood told reporters at a Pocatello news conference on Friday that they prefer to think about their daughter, not the man accused of abducting her.
Joyce and Jeff Underwood, who have five other children, said they are thankful the ordeal is over. Their 11-year-old daughter was missing just over a week after being abducted June 29 while collecting money on her newspaper route. Hundreds of residents helped search the area around Pocatello for days before the girl's body was pulled from the Snake River after the man police believe kidnapped and killed her revealed her whereabouts."We no longer have any doubts of where she is, and my heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones and don't know where they are," Jeff Underwood said. "Our Heavenly Father has answered our prayers and he has brought our daughter back to us."
A lot of animosity was expressed in the Pocatello area toward the accused, but Joyce Underwood and a church leader urged people to stop it.
"I've never known there could be this much love," Joyce Underwood said. "I've learned a lot about love this week, but there's also hate."
The Underwoods urged eastern Idahoans to get rid of that hate and talked about how their daughter always forgave people who had hurt her.
"She would think of things she could do to go back and love that person," her mother said.
Kert Howard, the Underwoods' LDS Church stake president, said the church wants people to put aside their anger and let justice take its course.
"We know that the law will do what it can to bring this man to justice," Jeff Underwood said.
Police are expected to disclose the results Monday of an autopsy on the girl's body.
James Edward Wood, 45, was arrested Tuesday night and police found the girl's body the next day along the Snake River in Idaho Falls.
The FBI sent in a team of five forensics experts earlier in the week to help with the investigation.
A memorial service for Jeralee was scheduled for today at the family's LDS chapel in Pocatello.
Wood remained held without bond in the Bannock County Jail pending preliminary hearing scheduled next week on a charge of first-degree kidnapping.
Bannock County Prosecutor Mark Hiedeman said when Wood was arrested he expected to charge him with first-degree murder, but no charge had been filed by Friday afternoon. Hiedeman said it appeared to be a death penalty case.
"It's been a question of where to charge him, and getting the information together to present to the judge," Hiedeman said. Authorities said the case will be tried in Bannock County, although there are indications the slaying occurred in Bonneville County, 50 miles north.