Students at a North York private school held a memorial service this morning to remember a popular classmate who was murdered alongside his mother and sister earlier this month.

Roy Pejcinovski, 15, was found dead inside his Ajax home on March 14 along with his mother Krassimira Pejcinovski, 39. His 13-year-old sister, Venallia Pejcinovski, was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries but she was pronounced dead later that night.

Cory Fenn, who is believed to have had a relationship with Krassimira Pejcinovski, is facing three counts of second-degree murder in relation to the triple homicide though little is known about what may have brought about such a senseless outcome.

On Wednesday students at Crestwood Preparatory College held a memorial service to remember Roy Pejcinovski, who was a star goalie with the school’s hockey team as well as the Bantam AAA Don Mills Flyers.

The service was attended by Pejcinovski’s father and his surviving sister, who was away from the Ajax home at the time of the homicide.

During the service, Pejcinovski’s #74 hockey jersey was formally retired, ensuring that it will not be worn by any other students. A three-minute tribute video that was put together by a classmate was also played.

“As expected there were a lot of tears,” Headmaster Vince Pagano told CP24 following the service, which was closed to the media. “I had previewed the video last night and it was difficult to watch and I couldn’t look at it today because I needed to keep my composure during the thing. It certainly affected a lot of the kids who were here, though.”

Pejcinovski, a Grade 9 student, had attended Crestwood Preparatory College on a joint scholarship for athletics and academics and backstopped the school's hockey team to a second straight championship just one week prior to his death.

As part of Wednesday’s memorial service, a banner bearing Pejcinovski’s jersey number was raised to the rafter of the school’s gymnasium. Pejcinovski’s framed jersey, meanwhile, will be placed in the school’s lobby.

Pagano said that while many students looked up to Pejcinovski for his athletic prowess and sunny disposition, few knew that he was also an “excellent student” with grades in the 90s.

For that reason, the school plans to establish a scholarship in Pejcinovski’s honour that will go to a Grade 9 student who excels in both athletics and academics.

“Wherever Roy went and whatever he did he brought joy to people so it has been a very difficult couple of few weeks both because of who he was as well as the nature of the tragedy,” Pagano said.

Grief councilors to remain at school

Pagano said that grief councilors will remain on hand at Crestwood Preparatory School for at least the next few days as students struggle to come to grips with the tragedy.

He said that while it was important for the school to honour Pejcinovski, the service may “stir up new emotions” among students who are still struggling to come to grips with his death after returning to classes from a two-week March Break on Monday.

“Depending on how the kids feel we are going to have to see whether it is time to get back to normal or whether we allow the current situation to continue for a bit. It is hard to look at kids and say it is time to stop crying and get back to work. Obviously we are not going to do that,” he said.

The flag at Crestwood Public School remains at half-mast.