BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The verdict in the trial of Trezell and Jacqueline West was a long time coming for family members and people in the community who have followed the case since the beginning. Many of them even sat through the entire trial hoping for the outcome that was read on Friday. But they say the work does not stop here.
"Today was a day that we all been waiting for and to get five guilty counts says a lot," said Rosanna Wills, the cousin to Orrin and Orson's biological father.
While Trezell and Jacquline West were not found guilty on every count, community supports say the counts they do face are enough.
Laura Vasquez and Sulina Quair have followed the trial as they are adoptive parents themselves.
"It's been far too long for the biological family to not know what happened, what didn’t happen, and where the babies are and I think today was a perfect day to find these people guilty,” said Vasquez. “Devastating. It was nerve-wracking. It was almost like anxiety, waiting to hear the evidence they had against these people.”
Vasquez and Quair say sitting through the testimony of the West children really tugged at their heartstrings.
“The children, when it came to them testifying it was so sad, but at the same time, we were able to see their weight difference from them being with their biological parents to them being in protective custody and in foster care. However, that situation is working,” continued Vasquez.
Supporter Jennifer Nobles agrees and says now those children will likely remember this forever.
"I feel sad still because there’s other innocent children that they’ve left from doing something so horrible like this.”
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Wills says she feels for the children but says she’s glad the West parents will have to pay for what they did.
“It's sad because they put their own kids in this position to where they were trying to hide this from the beginning so they wouldn’t be in this position.”
As for Orrin and Orson, also known as Classic and Cincere Pettius, their whereabouts remain a mystery.
"Somebody knows where these babies' bodies is – somebody knows,” said family friend Keisha Stevenson.
Wills added the search will continue.
"Keep their faces out there – Classic and Cincere – we love you and we would not stop until we bring you home baby.”
Supporters say they will continue to gather on the 21st of every month until the bodies are found.
