Colorado community holds funeral, procession for hometown Marine

BUENA VISTA, Colo. (KKTV) - American and Marine flags lined the streets of Buena Vista on Sunday, as the members of the community said their final goodbyes to 19-year-old Pvt. 1st Class Christopher Hutchings.

Hutchings’ final journey took him across Chaffee County in a full procession, starting at the sheriff’s office in Salida and ending at Buena Vista Middle and High School for the service.

A dozen Marines from Camp Pendleton in California, where Hutchings was stationed, were present for the service, in addition to the members of the Chaffee County community, local and state law enforcement, and former service members.

“As a small community, everybody knows everybody,” Melissa Goodman with the Buena Vista Police Department said, “and when something like this happens, it’s kind of a ‘everybody’s in it together.’”

Goodman and other members of the community said that the greatest hope is for Hutchings’ legacy to live on.

“It’s amazing to see the Marines here and to see the support for Chris’s family, and I know that his memory is going to be honored from here forward,” Goodman said.

Hutchings was found dead in his barracks at Camp Pendleton earlier this month. His death is being investigated as suspicious.

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