One of the news videos from last night:

http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/18435341/d...

My first thought looking at his picture is there is no light in his eyes. They are cold and empty. I can't even put into words all that I feel right now. The two brothers caused so much pain and heartbreak and they robbed so many of us that loved Matthew. My daughter is one of Basic's choir co-presidents. This is her senior year and because of the selfishness of the brothers and their disregard for life, what should have been one of the best years of her life has been forever stained with tears and loss.

Without her beloved choir director there is no longer the choir trip/festival that had been planned for the spring at Disneyland. Her 18th birthday is Saturday and it's just not going to be the same. We really haven't even had a chance to plan any kind of celebration yet.

Because of the selfishness and the arrogance of the brothers, there are so many who feel lost and who are trying to hold on. I can say that because of what has happened, the choir kids at Basic have become an even tighter knit family. They have gathered together often, during winter break and after school started back, so that they could mourn together. They feel stronger when they are together. What Rudyard Kipling wrote is true...

"...for the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack."

What a hard life lesson to have to learn when you are still trying to figure out who you are and what you want out of life. But our Basic choir kids have learned that lesson well. They will continue the legacy Mr Cox left them with.

Let justice prevail. We are still gathering names and numbers on a growing list of those people who knew Mr Cox and who would be willing to stand up and testify of his character and integrity. His voice has to be heard against the lies the brothers told.

Look into the eyes of the brothers and then look into the eyes of Matthew. What you find there speaks volumes.

To those who want to believe the lies that the confessed murderers have told about our beloved Matthew Cox:

Go to this url. Watch the video, listen to the songs, look at the pictures of his students, family, friends and collegues and then tell me that you can believe anything those two men claimed.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jan...

There are more interviews and more pictures online that are all about Matt and the great impact he had on everyone he came in contact with. When you look at the faces of his precious choir students that lost him, you can tell how much he was loved, looked up to and how much he will be missed. Those same faces are a testament of the fact that he never crossed any lines and he was held in such high esteem.

If you look at the pictures of Matthew there is a glow about him and that is because he radiated a genuine love and compassion towards everyone he came in contact with. If you look into your heart and you look into the eyes of Matthew, his students, his family, his friends, his collegues, you will no longer be able to deny the truth. Those two men robbed us all of someone so precious and special.

If after you have read and seen everything and you still want to blame Matthew, all I can say is shame on you. Those of you that personally know the two men who murdered Mr Cox know they have lied to you. Please don't try to excuse their actions because of their backgrounds. Millions of people come from worse backgrounds and still are able to turn their lives around and make something of themselves.

We will always miss Matthew and now we need to make sure that justice is done. If there is anyone who would like to stand up for Matt and testify of his integrity and his life, there is a growing list and those names and numbers are being given to the detective in charge of the case. His voice will be heard.

I'm one of the choir moms and I am so proud of our kids. They did an amazing job last night and received a standing ovation at the end of the concert.

Students from other area high schools will be attending the memorial tonight. Matthew's influence stretched across the Las Vegas valley and he inspired many people. It's a tribute to the man we all knew him to be and his legacy will live on. There is a scholarship being set up in his memory. Mr Cox won't be forgotten by any of his students and their parents.

Once a wolf, always a wolf...

I have to back up Mattsmom on this one. Matthew was an amazing teacher who could relate well with his students, but also knew when to draw the line. In the entire time my daughter has been one of his students there has never been even a hint of any kind of inappropriate actions on his part.

Last night the choir students at Basic held their choir concert as planned by their beloved teacher. They received a standing ovation by the audience at the end. These kids have become even closer and their feeling of family has grown. Do you think that if any of them believed any of the trash that has been put out there that they would have still wanted to perform? Do you think that if he hadn't taught them to be leaders that they would have been able to come together and make things happen like they have this week? Even on the first day back from winter break the leaders stepped up and directed the warm-ups and went through the songs. They went to sectionals. Chamber still met for early bird. All of those things were accomplished because of the son Mattsmom raised. He has left a legacy behind with every person who had the honor of knowing him.

God bless Matthew and his family.

I'm a choir mom who was in awe of Mr Cox and his ability to always bring out the best in others, including my daughter. He gave her a reason for her voice to be heard. He taught her more in the years she had with him than she learned from any of her other choir teachers over her time in school. He was able to bring out the leadership in his students and held them accountable for their actions.

He always looked inward to search himself for ways he could improve and on how he could reach more people through music. Basic's choir family grew to include kids and teachers from other area high schools, performing groups from around the country and professionals whom he brought in to inspire his kids. He was always trying to find a way to find a place for all of his stars to shine. Each and every student he taught were stars in his eyes and he was able to help them grow.

As a parent, I'm forever indebted to such a great man, teacher and friend. I know my life and the lives of my family members have all been improved upon because we knew and loved Mr Cox.

Say hello to my son and teach him to sing too. Your choir kids will make you proud and I will keep my promise.

As a p.s. if any of you hadn't seen or heard, the first court date for Jose Delatorre was postponed until Thursday because MORE names are being added to the complaint. We will be seeing more arrests made and the list of crimes that were committed against Mr Cox has grown.

Ambergirl- Can we please mourn in peace now? Tonight and tomorrow are going to be extemely hard for YOUR peers that you attended Basic with until you graduated last year. Please respect THEIR feelings about the teacher they looked up to and admired for his dedication and for what he brought to their lives. You know that he saw each student as a star and that everyone had a place to shine...even YOU.

ambergirl-Stop! Don't you get it yet? You are trying to defend people who have no defense for what they did. NONE!

Let us honor the man who is worth honoring and remembering. His legacy will live on and he has inspired so many people to go forward and help others to become better. We are still mourning the loss of such an amazing, talented and special man.

Justice will prevail. More and more parents and students are coming forward to stand up in defense of Mr Cox and his reputation and good name.

To truthwillsetufree:
Your comment was inappropriate and insensitive.

To mattsmom: I'm sorry you had to read such an ignorant, heartless and thoughtless comment.

I feel like I have posted too many comments on here, but I also have felt the need and desire to try and help everyone involved, everyone reading or hearing the stories and just trying to be a parent who is there for her child, her friends and their parents and for anyone else that needs me.

Matthew meant the world to me and to my family and to my kidlings. (Kidlings are my word for the kids I've grown to love and care about over the years but am not the parent of.)

I'm thankful that I am seeing more compassionate and understanding posts being written and that there is beginning to be what should have been all along... a coming together of people who are helping each other and learning through this tragic time.

Life is what we make it and it is never easy. We all have challenges and choices. We are all human. There isn't a child born into this world who is born evil. It's the things the children see, experience, learn and how they have been taught to deal with those things that change the course of their innocent lives into somebody who is capable of hurting someone else. It takes a village to raise a child is a quote we have all heard over the years and I do believe it is up to each one of us to become people who help others no matter what. That is the type of person Matthew was. He was truly a Christ-like person and he had an open heart. I truly hope and pray that I can become more like him and show others his life did impact mine. It's our turn now to help and teach others and reach out to those who are struggling, even if we are struggling.

Matthew is watching over us now and we have to try to carry on. My heart and my prayers will continue to go out to all of those who are dealing with the loss. Please know I am here if you need me...

May God be with us all...