"The Ultimate Pain a Family Can Endure"

Yesterday, the father of Leah Walsh, the woman killed and dumped off a Long Island highway, was too upset to speak at her funeral; the Daily News reports that Howard Hirschel asked Rabbi Abraham Eckstein to read his words, "This is the ultimate pain a family can endure. We've all heard the expression, 'Live one day at a time.' I'm trying to live one minute at a time... Although I know my children knew that I loved them dearly, I should have hugged them more. I say to all of you, if you have children, give them a big hug for Leah - and another for me."

Hirschel discovered his daughter's abandoned car on Monday morning, when it was discovered she was missing. Police believe she was killed by her husband, William Walsh, also 29. Hundreds of people attended the funeral for 29-year-old Leah Walsh, who taught special needs children in Glen Gove. A neighbor said, "You can't imagine the crowd that was in there. Every seat was packed."

Today, there was a hearing for William Walsh. Though the police say he confessed to murder and trying to cover up her death, his lawyer said, "Not a single strand of evidence has been produced that he's guilty." The hearing was adjourned until later this week in order, per Newsday, "to determine whether the Bethpage man accused of killing his wife qualifies for a publicly funded lawyer." Both his family and his wife's family attended today's hearing.