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Hundreds Attend Slain Pizza Delivery Driver's Memorial

LAFAYETTE, Colo. (CBS4/AP) — A Denver-area pizza delivery driver whose killing may be linked to the slaying of the state's prisons chief is being remembered by loved ones as selfless and compassionate, with a love of music and snowboarding.

About 300 people attended a memorial service Wednesday for Nathan Leon, a 27-year-old married father of three.

"Nate was just unique. He was a unique person that; he touched everybody's life," Leon's mother-in-law Bernadette Almess said. "One of his little twins, it was the first time that she asked where her daddy was. So, we're going to honor Nate's life and be the best people that we can be."

Leon disappeared after leaving to make a delivery March 17. His body was later found with gunshot wounds.

Police believe Evan Ebel, who died after a shootout in Texas last week, is linked to Leon's killing. The gun Ebel used in the Texas shootout was the same one used to kill prisons chief Tom Clements on March 19.

A pizza uniform and pizza carrier were found in Ebel's car. Investigators are trying to determine whether Leon was killed for his uniform with the intent of persuading Clements to open his front door.

Nathan Collin Leon
Nathan Collin Leon (credit: Facebook)

Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia and the Gov. John Hickenlooper's chief of staff Roxane White attended the service. They shared prayers from the Clements family.

"It just drives home just how tragic this has been and how great the loss has been," Garcia said. "It's a tough time, particularly for the families, but we all share in their sense of loss."

Family members say Leon was a hard worker who couldn't sit still, a master puzzle solver, and a good friend.

"We don't want him remembered as the pizza delivery man. We would like him to be remembered as someone who was very, very much loved," Almess said.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.) 

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