One of the two boys found severely beaten in South Salt Lake last month suffered a brain hemorrhage and died Sunday.
"I'm just kind of numb," said Vickie Dowdle, mother of 15-year-old Aaron Dowdle. "It just seems unbelievable. I keep thinking I'll wake up and it'll be a dream. It's been really hard."
Police believe Dowdle died as a result of the injuries he suffered April 1 and have now officially opened a homicide investigation.
"We were conducting (the investigation) like it was a homicide anyway because we had two victims that couldn't talk to us. The only change is now it truly is a homicide," said South Salt Lake Police Capt. Tracy Tingey. "It really doesn't change the method and manner."
Dowdle and his close friend, 15-year-old Andrew Weston, were found severely beaten in separate locations. Police say the two boys had been together that night and were last seen between midnight and 1 a.m. standing on a street corner outside Dowdle's house.
Weston was found early the next morning lying unconscious near 2300 South and West Temple. Dowdle was found in similar condition a few hours later behind a vacant warehouse near 200 West and 2650 South.
On April 28, the families of the two boys spoke publicly for the first time about the conditions of their loved ones while making a plea for the public to help generate leads in the case.
Vickie and Earl Dowdle said their son was being treated at a Sandy convalescent center. He was awake and able to respond to certain stimuli.
About 5 p.m. Sunday, Aaron suffered a brain hemorrhage and was flat-lining, Tingey said. He was transported to Alta View Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival at 5:25 p.m., he said.
An autopsy was conducted Monday morning. A full report from the state medical examiner wasn't expected to be completed for at least a week, Tingey said.
Vickie Dowdle said there was some speculation that possibly a blood vessel burst in her son's head.
"We don't know for sure," she said.
Dowdle said no funeral arrangements had been made as of Monday. The family was waiting for the medical examiner to release their son's body.
"Its bad enough to lose your kid any day of the year. But to lose your kid on Mother's Day . . ." Tingey said as his voice trailed off.
As of Monday, all leads followed by investigators into the beatings had hit dead ends.
"Normally we'd get someone saying they were hanging out with this person or that person who said something," Tingey said. "The beating was so bad it felt like it was a personal vendetta. But there's nothing. It may very well turn out to be a stranger or strangers. It very well could be random."
Another theory is the boys stumbled upon something they weren't supposed to see.
The attacks have become personal for some officers who knew Aaron and his family. They have been long-time South Salt Lake residents and Dowdle attended Granite High School.
A crisis intervention team was at the school Monday.
"The kids were upset by what happened. They were hoping he'd pull through," said principal Steven Hess.
Weston continued Monday to recover at Primary Children's Medical Center but still has no memory of the assault, Tingey said.
"If anybody has information as to who did this, call South Salt Lake police," Vickie Dowdle urged the public Monday. "I'd really like these guys caught."
A fund in Aaron's name is at any Wells Fargo bank.
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com