Friends, family, teachers mourn Reedley High student killed in hit and run

REEDLEY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Friends say 17-year-old Matthew Swepston was sweet and loving. He had dreams of becoming a U.S. Marine.

Swepston was very involved in Naval Junior Reserves Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at Reedley High School. The commander said he was a kid you could trust, so much that he was recently promoted to Company Commander.

Friends of 17-year-old Matthew Swepston are in mourning. Early Sunday morning, Swepston was walking along Avenue 460 near Road 136 when a car hit and killed him -- then continued on.

Swepston's mother, who did not want to speak on camera, says police don't have any leads. But, she says, they will have a big memorial for Matthew, because he was loved by so many people.

Janessa Forbes dated Swepston for a few months. They were both members of the Naval ROTC program at Reedley High School. Friends say Swepston wanted to get an ROTC scholarship and become a Marine. He played football, piano, and was getting good at sailing.

"He really needs justice and that person needs to come forward because he has a family and all his friends loved him," said Janessa Forbes.

"He always kept pushing forward for what he wanted," said Alma Castorena, friend.

Castorena also knew Swepston through ROTC. She has fond memories of the group's recent sailing academy near Merced. There he made friends laugh and feel good. Castorena says that won't stop just because he's gone.

"Every event, he's going to be there: at the drill events, at AMI, at the banquet our senior year, at our graduation, and everything," said Castorena.