amily and friends who gathered yesterday for the funeral of Sarah and Philip Gehring said the service was simple but elegant, a balance of mourning the children, who were murdered by their father in 2003, and recognizing what peace can come from...

amily and friends who gathered yesterday for the funeral of Sarah and Philip Gehring said the service was simple but elegant, a balance of mourning the children, who were murdered by their father in 2003, and recognizing what peace can come from finally bringing their remains home. The discovery of Sarah and Philip's bodies in Hudson, Ohio, on Dec. 1 marked the end of a two-and-a-half year search. Manuel Gehring, shot his children July 4, 2003 and told the police he had buried them somewhere in the Midwest. Until he strangled himself in his jail cell in February 2004, he maintained that he didn't know the exact location of the burial site.

After yesterday's service, friends said knowing the bodies are home has brought them relief and a sense of closure. For Sarah and Philip's mother and stepfather, Teri and Jim Knight, those things have been more difficult to find.

The Knights declined interviews yesterday, but their 22-year-old niece, Amy Senecal, read a statement from them after the ceremony.

"People often say that we can now find closure," she read. "Well, there really isn't closure when you are dealing with the senseless murder of your children."