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Oct 2, 2007 9:11 pm US/Central

Friends Of Slain Woman Start Fund To Find Killer

ARLINGTON (CBS 11 News) ― The reward for information leading to the arrest of Ernesto Reyes keeps growing.

Reyes is wanted in the murder of 19-year-old UNT student Melanie Goodwin. Her burned body was found in Carrollton a week ago.

"We wanted to something, but we can't go knock on doors," said Jay Pearson, a friend of the Goodwin family. "We can't go do the police's job for them, so what can we do?"

That was the question that kept Pearson awake at night after Melanie's murder. "Somebody out there knows where Mr. Reyes is," he said.

So Pearson and his colleagues at American Airlines, where Melanie's father works, hatched a way to help find him.

The "Glenn Goodwin's Fund" began as a grassroots effort by caring co-workers, but it evolved into much more.

The e-mail plea started a nationwide chain. Within five days, organizers had surpassed their goal of $10,000.

"I was really amazed we got to it so quickly," said Pearson.

He credits Melanie's contagious joy of life. "I described her as, if your son brought her home, you'd think you'd won the lottery, 'cause she was that great a gal," Pearson said.

So with donations, some just a few dollars, they built a fund with a function and a hope.

"We want justice for Melanie," Pearson said. "We think Melanie wouldn't want this person out there. She wouldn't want anybody else to be hurt."

Pearson says the money beyond the reward amount will go toward establishing a scholarship fund in Melanie Goodwin's name.

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