FRANKLIN, Tenn (WTVF) — A candlelight vigil was held in Franklin for the two college students from Williamson County who were killed over the weekend. Clay Beathard and Paul Trapeni III were fatally stabbed outside a Midtown bar early Saturday.
Battle Ground Academy posted on Facebook that friends and families of the victims are having the vigil at the old courthouse on Franklin's public square and everyone is welcome to attend.
Both young men were 2016 Battle Ground Academy graduates. A third man, a 21-year-old AJ Bethurum, from Franklin, was also stabbed and suffered injuries to his eye and arm.
Michael Mosley is accused of the murders and attacks. After days on the run, he was arrested on Christmas Day while hiding out in a vacant Cheatham County home.
Mosley is facing two charges of criminal homicide and one charge of attempted criminal homicide. Investigators said an argument started after 23-year-old Mosley made an unwanted advancement toward a woman inside the Dogwood bar in Midtown. The argument continued outside where Mosley is accused of stabbing the three men.
The community came together Thursday night to honor the lives of the young men.
"Just to let them know if they need somebody we’re here. If you ever need to talk to somebody because it’s going to affect them for the rest of their lives," said Tiffany Johnson.
Johnson organized the candlelight vigil, she knows the Beathard family and felt that she needed to do something to help the community heal.
Several people showed up to pay their respects including city judge Deana Hood.
"It’s touched me, and it’s touched so many of us and that’s why we’re here, we want to show the families that we care," Hood said.
Bethurum was in attendance at the vigil.
In an Instagram post the next day, Beathard's brother CJ, who plays in the NFL for the 49ers, wrote:
Clay is the sweetest, most humble, toughest, and kind hearted people this world had in it...What happened is absolutely awful and has been and will continue to be the hardest things my family and I have had to go through. But I can find some peace knowing that he is at peace in heaven right now, and I know without a doubt God will bring a whole bunch of good out of this. -CJ Beathard
A judicial commissioner has ordered Mosley to be held without bond on the two criminal homicide charges. A $5 million bond was set on the attempted criminal homicide charge.
Mosley has his first court date on Friday morning, where a date and time will be set for a preliminary hearing. It's unclear if Mosley will be in the courtroom as it isn't required that he be there.
