The day of closure finally dawned for Paula Biller and Diana Meeks, sisters of Adriana Saucedo whose slain body was dumped inside the gym at vacant Norton Elementary in Gary in 2019.
The two Portage sisters stood shoulder to shoulder Tuesday watching a yellow excavator take aim at the school’s south side near the gym.
“It’s a piece of the closure, it’s part of our grieving process to see this come to fruition,” said Biller. “It’s the realization that no one’s family member will be dumped here again.”
Meeks said she felt mixed emotions. She’s still wrestling with the knowledge her sister’s body was in the gym for two days before she was found.
“I think it’s finally justice,” she said of the school’s demolition. “I’m glad they’re finally tearing it down.”
The sisters had begun to give up hope after they were initially told in 2019 that the school would soon be demolished.
Meeks said Adriana, who worked as a medical assistant, was planning to return to college and dreamed of moving to Miami.
Saucedo, 27, of Portage, was shot and killed by three Gary teens inside a car in Portage. Police said she met them on social media while trying to buy marijuana. They took $140 from her in the robbery.
Her body was found inside Norton, vacant since 2006, two days later.
In 2021, a Porter County judge sentenced the gunman Shaun Thompson, then 18, of Gary, to 50 years in prison following his guilty plea. Roderick Silas, then 17, was sentenced to 29 years with eight years suspended and served on formal probation.
Adriana Saucedo (Portage Police photo)
Jonathan Brown, then 19, was sentenced to 24 years, with six years suspended and to be served on formal probation.
Gary Superintendent Yvonne Stokes saluted Norton’s former staff members and students, calling the day a bittersweet one.
“I hope this brings closure,” she said to Biller and Meeks. “We want to move forward.”
Gary School Board President Michael Suggs said once the demolition is complete, the school will be ready for development and sale.
Mayor Eddie Melton pointed out the deployment of public works employees picking up trash and mowing around the school Tuesday.
“This is very intentional,” he said, noting that the city is tearing down several vacant homes in the Aetna neighborhood.
“This is a beautiful community, and it will be a benefit once it’s gone,” he said.
Norton’s demolition cost $754,000 and was expected to take about six weeks, said Corinne Rensch, director of facilities. The school district used $250,000 of the demolition cost from the sale of vacant Lincoln and Duncan elementary schools to Steel City Charter School.
Gary citizens rated Norton as its top choice for demolition in a community survey.
Demolition contractor Chip Lee said he spoke with family members before the demolition began.
“My mind is not on the process today, it’s on the family… “But I believe a new day is here… this is one of the most bittersweet opportunities we’ve been part of.”
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
