Grieving will 'never end' for loved ones of 5 young people killed by Matthew de Grood

"There is no such thing as a 'new normal' that some people talk about. There is only existing, surviving, and a series of bittersweet events going forward in our families' lives."

Those words, withthe counterpoint of sobs, came fromthe families of Lawrence Hong, Joshua Hunter, Kaiti Perras, Zackariah Rathwell and Jordan Segura in a powerful joint statement on the steps of theCalgary Courts Centre moments beforethe trial began fortheir killer.

• Watch the families read the statement on the attached videoand read the moving joint statement in full at the bottom of this article

The families'anguish and sorrow is "immeasurable," saidKaiti'sdad, GreggPerras, who read the statement on behalf of the familiesclustered around him.

As the trial began a short time later, Matthew de Grood, 24, admitted to stabbing all five to death at a house party in Calgary's Brentwood community in 2014.

But he pleaded not guilty to five counts of murder. His mental state at the time of the killings is expected to play a major role in the trial.

• Matthew de Grood spoke of the apocalypse and killing vampires before he stabbed 5 people, court hears
• NCR: What you need to know as Matthew de Grood's murder trial begins

Family members of the victims were among the throngs of people who packed into the main courtroom and twooverflow rooms on the first day of the trial.

"We are here to represent the voices of the victims,our loved ones who had their futures taken away and cannot represent themselves," Perras said.

"And we are also here to support one another in our profound loss."

The past two years have been "extremely difficult, incredibly long and anxiety-ridden" for the parents, extended family membersand friends of the five young people who died, Perras said.

"The grieving and the memories never end for any of us," hesaid.

"There is no such thing as a 'new normal' that some people talk about.There is only existing, surviving, and a series of bittersweet events going forward in our families' lives such as graduations, weddings, and grandchildren. These milestones will be happy and they will be sad."

The victims

KaitlinPerras

Perras,also known asKaiti, was a dancer. Her unclecalled the 23-year-old "loving, spiritual, intelligent, artistic, fiercely loyal, caring [and] gorgeous inside and out." A "Loveof Dance"scholarship fund was established in her nameat Counterpoint Dance in Calgary.

JordanSegura

Segurawas a religious studies major at the University of Calgary and worked part-time at a local funeral home. His brother described him as a man of integrity. "He would make choices based on what he believed, not what others believed."

Lawrence Hong

Hong was anurban studies student at the University of Calgary. He wasa bigsupporter of sustainable transportation and received aposthumous leadership awardfrom the university. "Lawrence was selfless in his pursuit to build community," his former professor David Cooper said atHong's funeral. "He taught me more about lifethan I taught him."

Josh Hunter

Originally fromPriddis,Alta, Hunter was studying accounting at the University of Calgary. He andZackariahRathwellwere in thebandZackariahand the Prophets. Hunter was a drummer and waspassionate about music. "Josh lived fully, more fully than many who live long lives," his friend PeterGammellsaid at his funeral.

ZackariahRathwell

Rathwellwas astudentat the Alberta College of Art and Design. He was also the lead singer of the bandZackariahand the Prophets, which had recently released its firstEP. "He was so close to so many and touched the lives of everyone he came into contact with," theRathwellfamily said in a statement released after his death.

Below is the full statement issued this morning on behalf of the families of Lawrence Hong, Joshua Hunter, Kaiti Perras, Zackariah Rathwell and Jordan Segura.

We speak to you collectively as one voice, as a group of family members who have lost our wonderful children and siblings far too soon.

We are giving a written statement at this time and are not planning to field any questions today. We will likely provide a statement at the end of the trial and may be available for questions at that time.