CONNEAUT, Ohio — Residents of a Northeast Ohio community gathered on Saturday to collectively grieve and show support for relatives of a 13-month-old girl believed to have been brutally murdered by her mother’s boyfriend.

Sereniti Jazzylynn-Sky Blankenship Sutley was killed October 7. The Ashtabula County Coroner ruled her death the result of blunt force trauma to the head and torso.

A manhunt is underway to find Joshua Dale Gurto, 37, who has been charged with murder and rape and, as of Saturday evening, remained on the run.

“Our hearts are broken we have gone through every emotion possible from disbelief to barely accepting it to anger to wanting justice,” said Jean Carlo, the girl’s great-grandmother.

Dozens of people released balloons and prayed along with family members, hoping they find a measure of justice.

“Obviously we are trying to get some information to try and locate him. We are working on it every minute when we are not there. There’s other officers, BCI agents, US Marshals, they are all working together trying to bring him to justice,” said Conneaut Detective Michael Sullivan, who called the investigation a long, disturbing process.

“I know there’s family that are so angry that they would do anything to have their own justice but we have to get the system do what it is supposed to do and we are going to need every drop of support,” said Carlo.

Saturday’s show of support was comforting to Clarissa Murtha, who watched the little girl twice a week.

“It means a lot to the whole community. I think that people come out and support everybody. It’s a tragedy. Things that should never happen to anybody,” said Murtha.

Officers from the Conneaut Police Department were also present for Saturday’s vigil.

Conneaut Law Director Kyle Smith on Friday said the Ohio BCI has placed finding Gurto as a top priority.

“He needs to turn himself in would be the best thing for him,” urged Sullivan.

**Continuing coverage on this, here**