07:23 AM EST on Monday, March 29, 2004

By Tony Hyatt / WHAS 11 News

Louisville, Ky -- The very first vigil was held one week after Theresa Holmann was shot and killed at the Wendy's on Shelbyville Road. She died on February 21st. At the time, local ministers prayed for peace in the city.

It lasted 31 days.

On Sunday, the group known as " No Murders Metro" gathered again. They had planned to celebrate a month with no murders in the city.

It ended last Wednesday with the death of Wigberto Perez on Linden Avenue.

"There were some who said Pastor should we go on," Pastor John Crittendon told the group outside his church, Forest Missionary Baptist in Newburg. "I said by all means. We need to let people know we are powered by prayer."

The group stood in the same spot where the church had placed white crossses at Christmas time, more than 40 to highlight the city's homicide rate for 2003.

"We had hoped it could have been 32, 33, 34, and 35 days," Crittendon told WHAS11 News. "It does sadden our hearts."

Perez's death was followed by the shooting of Tyson Gibb, the next day at Madison and 16th. Then, Anthony Calhoun was gunned down on Vermont Avenue Saturday morning. Later in the day, the body of 53 year old Linda Elmore was found stabbed to death in the 300 block of Adams Street. Then finally, a double murder and suicide in the parking lot of Douglas Park apartments early Sunday morning.

"We are heart broken, but not discouraged," says Pastor Joe Phelps of the Highland Baptist Church. He and Crittendon have been working with the Interdenominational Ministerial Coaltion to hold the vigils after each murder in the Metro area.

"The eyes of faith do see the month, the 31 days, as a gift from God. It's a picture of what the city of Louisville could look like if we lay down our weapons," Phelps told WHAS11 News.

The group ended its vigil with prayer and by singing " He's got the whole world in his hands."

"We are going to draw attention to this rash of murders that we have had in one week," says Rev. Clay Calloway of the Coaltion. "If you understand that last year, we had one murder a week in the city, then the 31 days takes on a whole new meaning."

The group plans to hold four vigils before the week is out at each of the murder scenes in the city.