COQUILLE -- The flickering white flames of more than 70 candles danced against a blue-black sky on Thursday as family and friends of Leah Freeman gathered in Coquille to commemorate the 15-year-old murder victim's life.

"It has been an extremely long and exhausting year," Leah's mother, Cory Courtright, told the crowd gathered at Sanford Heights Park, a small playground where Leah liked to visit and play basketball. "You have all loved me through this -- and I love you, too."

Last week, members of the "Justice For Leah" group erected a park bench in Leah's honor in one corner of the park located off of Knott Street. A row of trees behind the bench provides shade and a jungle-gym and slide stand as reminders of Leah's youth.

Courtright, who was wearing a pink "Justice For Leah" shirt said, "It will be a quiet place for people to go to be with Leah ... or to pray for her or with her."

Over the last year, members of the group have supported each other through their mutual loss and have tried to raise awareness of Leah's murder investigation by talking to city and county officials and members of the media. The group also continues to collect money for a Leah Freeman scholarship fund.

Leah disappeared on June 28, 2000.

The blond-haired, green-eyed girl was last seen sometime after 9 that night walking from a friend's house on Elm Street in Coquille to her mother's house on Knott Street.

Leah had been dropped off at a friend's house earlier in the day by her boyfriend, Nick McGuffin. He had planned to pick her up around 9 p.m., but Leah left the house to walk home before he arrived.

She never made it home.

Courtright said she became worried at about 3:30 a.m., when she woke up and found her daughter wasn't there.

After an unsuccessful search the following morning, Courtright notified the police.

The teen-ager's disappearance prompted police to launch a search effort that lasted until Aug. 3, when a searcher discovered Leah's body off the side of Lee Valley Road on a wooded slope by a creek.

Courtright and her ex-husband Dennis Freeman don't know how their daughter died. They still have not seen the results of Leah's autopsy last summer and they have not received Leah's death certificate.

Since the discovery of Leah's body, police have told the family only that the girl died of "homicidal violence."

The lack of information coming from the police continues to frustrate Leah's family.

About six months ago, the grieving mother asked the Coquille City Council to investigate the Coquille Police Department's handling of the case.

"I just didn't feel like I was getting anywhere with the police," she said. "After the six-month period, (talk of the murder) just started dying away. I don't want anybody to forget about Leah."

But the town has not forgotten Leah -- or the fact that there has been no arrest.

Rumors about the case resonate in coffee shops and bookstores throughout Coquille.

Since Leah's death, some parents are more cautious about letting their kids out alone.

In the meantime, Courtright has hired an attorney to provide her with legal guidance throughout the investigation, although Courtright said she does not plan to file a lawsuit against the police. Courtright said the police seem to understand her frustration.

"I think the police department is pretty understanding of what I have had to go through," she said.

Coquille Police Chief Michael Reaves said he would like nothing more than to see a conviction in Freeman's case.

"Our major case team (which comprises federal, state and local police departments) is still working diligently on the case," Reaves said Friday.

Reaves said it is the nature of Leah's case that makes it a difficult one to solve. However, he would not comment specifically on evidence surrounding the case.

"This is not the perfect crime. I don't believe in that," Reaves said. "But we must have a specific amount of information and a specific amount of evidence to get a court conviction. We have been working closely with the (district attorney's office) on those guidelines."

Reaves said the police agencies are doing everything they can with the limited number of people they have.

"We started off in this case with absolutely zero. To get as far as we have so far is an accomplishment."

The police chief said he understands the community's frustration.

"The community reacted like any place would. They started off being very supportive. Then, as time went on, they became frustrated," he said. "People's awareness that something could happen has changed, but I don't think people feel less safe. I haven't noticed a change in behavior."

Coos County Chief Deputy District Attorney R. Paul Frasier, who has worked closely with investigators on the case, said a number of recent high-profile investigations have taken resources away from the Leah's investigation.

"When you have a homicide that happens -- like the recent one at Horsfall -- you have to jump on that. When things settle back down you go back and see where you're at," he said.

Frasier said other factors also have hindered the case.

"When she was reported missing, there were a variety of things to look into ... you don't know if there is foul play involved or if she went off somewhere and didn't tell her mother. It divides your effort," he said. "One thing that makes it difficult is that (Leah's) body was not discovered until approximately six weeks after she disappeared.

"When the body is not in the same condition it was in at the time of the murder, it creates problems," he added.

According to Frasier, investigators have collected all of the physical evidence available from the murder scene.

The assistant district attorney agrees that Leah's murder is not the perfect crime.

"Some people are clever and others are lucky. I think this person has just been lucky -- so far," Frasier said.

Until the murderer's luck runs out, Courtright said it will be the compassion of others that will help her get through each day.

"The community has been great -- very supportive and kind," she said in between hugging her friends and family members who attended the vigil. "Leah's friends have been awesome. I see them from time to time and I know it's hard for them to see me."

Courtright said a number of Leah's friends helped her get through Mother's Day.

"They knew it was going to be hard for me. They had me over and made me dinner and gave me flowers and presents," she said.

Dennis Freeman, also a Coquille resident, said he has been dealing with the loss of his daughter at his own pace.

"Cory has been very active about keeping Leah's name out in the public. She doesn't want people to forget. I have been more quiet," he said. "Some days, I just can't believe it happened."

Freeman said he doubts Leah's killer will ever be caught.

"I don't think there is any chance of it being solved," he said. "You probably couldn't get a conviction anyway -- it's all 'he-said, she-said.'"

The grieving father said the one-year anniversary of Leah's disappearance has been especially difficult emotionally.

"There's just a lot of unpleasant memories at this time -- they're overshadowing most of the good memories."

However, at the candlelight vigil on Thursday, friends and family recounted only the good memories of Leah under the yellow glow of a half-moon.

Holly Hajdu, who will be a junior at Coquille High School next fall, spoke highly of her friend.

"Nobody will ever replace Leah," Hajdu said. "I feel so lucky that we got to spend time together and I'm sorry about the stupid stuff we argued over."

"Leah was never a selfish person -- except with food," she joked.

Leah's uncle, Bill Middleton, said he has many fond memories of his niece.

"I remember when she was little, I carried her around on my shoulders. That's when we built trust with each other. We had a special relationship," he said. "I looked forward to coaching her in basketball."

Others in the crowd expressed their feelings simply.

"We love you Leah. We miss you," they said.

The vigil was not entirely dedicated to Leah, however.

Community members released more than a dozen helium balloons into the air -- each of them carrying prayers to a number of deceased loved ones.

Among those in the crowd was Bandon resident Lisa Elder, the mother of Daniella Elder, who was murdered in January.

The body of the 13-year-old was discovered on Jan. 30 in a brushy area 2 miles north of Bandon. Steven D. Robertson, 30, of Bandon has been charged with the murder and is being held at the Coos County jail on $4 million bail.

Elder couldn't hold back tears as she released a balloon for her daughter. Courtright gave Lisa Elder a long hug as Daniella's balloon floated away.

Janet Reab, Courtright's friend, said the two women have known each other a short time, but are becoming friends.

"They contacted each other because they are the only ones who know how the other feels," Reab said. "I am there for Cory, but I can't ever fully understand what she is going through."

Following the ceremony, others separated themselves from the crowd of onlookers before releasing their balloons, watching quietly as they disappeared over the horizon.

"Leah wasn't a selfish person. She would have liked (the balloons)," said Courtright. "Everybody has lost a loved one in their lives."

Still, Courtright said she awaits the day police make an arrest in her daughter's case.

"I will never have closure until the killer is found. At least that would be a start."