Related links

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Police are investigating after the bodies of two high school students were found in a cemetery over the weekend.

Jamie Serich, 17, and Colin Hart, 18, were found dead in the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Boardman on Sunday morning. Police say they each died after a single gunshot to the head. "At this point, anything we get like this we're gonna treat it as some type of homicide until we're proven otherwise," said Lt. Don Hawkins.

An officer was on a routine patrol in the cemetery where the bodies were found, about 50 feet from where Serich parked his car. Police say he died first, followed by Hart who was discovered still clutching the handgun. "The bodies were found as if both were seated right next to each other, probably 3 to 5 feet apart, facing the same direction," said Lt. Hawkins.

Students gathered at Cardinal Mooney High School on Monday afternoon for a memorial mass. The school was closed to celebrate the state championship victory by the football team last week, but students like Domenic Carrocce attended the mass. "Colin was in my mechanical drawing class spoke to him every day. Jamie I knew from just around the halls and stuff."

Police say their investigation could take a few more days, but there is no sign that anyone else was involved.

The discovery came just hours after Serich's parents reported him missing and told police they were afraid because of his mental state. "We've recovered his cell phone and computer," said Lt. Hawkins. "[We'll] try to recreate the last hours or day that lead up to this tragedy and see if we can get some answers that way."

Sister Jane Marie Kudlacz from Cardinal Mooney says grief counselors will be on hand when students go back to school on Tuesday. "We have lost two members of our school community and so, the sorrow and grief that's being expressed is an important part of this whole process of healing."

Police say autopsies were performed on Monday afternoon and that information should help them determine if this was a murder-suicide or whether the two teenagers took their own lives.

Boardman police are asking anyone with any information to call them at 330-726-4144.