Sunday was a busy day at local hair salons and other establishments as Jonathan Law High School students readied for their prom tonight.
The prom was originally scheduled for April 25 but was postponed after 16-year-old Maren Sanchez was stabbed to death at school.
Sources have said that Christopher Plaskon, then 16, stabbed Maren because she would not go to the prom with him. Plaskon was in court just last week, where he entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of murder. His attorney said he expected to pursue a defense based on mental illness.
Facebook on Sunday carried messages of best wishes for the Jonathan Law High School juniors.
A post noted that Autumn Rose Flower and Gift provided free purple rose corsages and boutonnieres to students attending the prom.
Blades Hair Salon posted photos of the salon staff helping to ready girls for their big night, plus a display of purple balloons and an array of food laid out for their prom-going customers.
Another posting stated that Styles International was offering free hair services for anyone going to prom.
The prom planning committee has a Facebook page and on there encouraged the media to leave the students alone to enjoy their night.
“We are starting to get inquiries from the media regarding prom location, etc.,” the posting states. “You will not see that information on this page. The prom is for you kids, and we hope the media will be respectful and understand that we've all been through a lot.”
After the murder at Law and as the community began to come together to mourn the loss of the Jonathan Law High School student, students at Law said they planned to name Maren the prom queen.
On the night of the murder, students wore their prom gowns and tuxedos and went to Walnut Beach. Maren’s boyfriend Jared Butts carried the gown that Maren would have worn that night.