Murdered teen described as hard working, friendly - WALB.com, South Georgia News, Weather, Sports

By Jennifer Emert - bio | email

ALBANY, GA (WALB) -  Those who knew 19-year-old Robert Purvis are struggling to cope with this senseless murder.

They describe Purvis as a friendly, hard working young man who had a future after graduation. Robert Purvis just bought his new car Friday morning, friends say he was so proud of the car he likely had it at Splash-N-Dash to shine it up.

They still can't believe it was in this wash bay, that his promising life was cut short.

His Facebook picture proudly shows Robert Purvis in his uniform. He'd already signed up to join the Army after graduation. Since yesterday friends have been sending their condolences, one from Sam Tyson reads, "Heaven has a new soldier. You will be truly missed."

Counselors struggle to help students at Albany High understand what happened at this East Albany car wash.

"Robert was someone that you just knew, if you didn't know his name you knew him, because he made himself known. He just had a very vibrant personality," said Cindy Williams, Albany High School Director of Guidance.

Something obvious to David McCallister at Champion Motors, who sold him the 2000 red Pontiac Sunfire Friday morning.

"Seemed like an outgoing young man, seemed like he had his future ahead of him," said McCallister.

The two even joked over the paperwork after Purvis paid cash. "He said he's spent the last year filling out paperwork with the military so he knew what it was like to sign his name a lot," said McCallister.

Former coworkers at Marco's Pizza say Purvis complained about his former SUV. "I know he was having a lot of trouble with his old one and he'd come in mad, aggravated at it tearing up," said Denise Harell, Marco's Pizza Shift Leader.

Purvis often talked about his infant son who died just before Thanksgiving of SIDS.

"He would just talk about how sick his son was and what a hard time he was going through and he liked to spend a lot of time with him and take care of him," said Harell.

Purvis left Marco's to work at Papa John's. When school officials were informed an arrest had been made, they said they hope the suspect will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for a crime that took the life of one of their promising seniors.

We're told student leaders at the school took up a collection Monday for the Purvis family, in an effort to help them meet whatever needs they have during this tough time.

Albany Police are still investigating whether Brian Beasley knew Robert Purvis. They say Beasley refused to answer questions after being taken into custody. He simply asked for a lawyer.

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