Family and friends of 18-year-old Iris Rodrigues-Kaikana, along with dozens of people who never met her, gathered last night for a somber march around the state Capitol to remember the McKinley High School graduate's short life and to mourn her violent death.

"I still can't believe my daughter is gone," said Steven Rodrigues, the teen's father.

He added, "I still want to know what happened. I just hope to get closure."

Some 150 people turned out for the march, many wearing shirts that read "never forgotten" with a photo of a smiling Rodrigues-Kaikana.

Rodrigues-Kaikana's nude body was found face-down on the morning of Aug. 24 in an alley adjacent to the Kamehameha Homes public housing project, where she was visiting a friend.

The Honolulu medical examiner's office said she had been strangled. Police opened a homicide investigation.

Area residents reported hearing screams the night before Rodrigues-Kaikana was found, but no one called police.

CrimeStoppers and members of the public, including bounty hunter and TV personality Duane "Dog" Chapman, have put up rewards for information that will lead to an arrest. Chapman has offered up $10,000.

Last night, police said they had made no arrests in the case.

That has left many people frustrated and prompted calls for anyone who knows something to come forward to help solve a crime that has rocked a community.

"Somebody knows something," said Lynne Akana, whose daughter used to dance hula with Rodrigues-Kaikana. "The community is in unrest because of this."

Akana added the teen's death has also touched so many.

"She wasn't anybody well-known, but she could have been from your family, my family," she said.

The march started at about 5:30 p.m.

After circling the state Capitol building once, the crowd gathered at its steps to sing "Amazing Grace."

"The purpose of a silent march is symbolic," said state Rep. John Mizuno, D-30th (Kamehameha Heights, Kalihi Valley, Fort Shafter), who is a friend of the family.

The march, he told the crowd, marks "another innocent life that has been silenced by criminal violence."

Among those who attended were dozens of community members who never knew Rodrigues-Kaikana, but have been brought to tears by her death.

Kalihi resident Gilbert C., who declined to give his last name, said the story has left him shaken. "It could have been my kids," he said.

Rodrigues-Kaikana worked part-time at the Fort Street McDonald's, and was planning on starting college. She dreamed of becoming a police officer, a prosecutor or a nurse.

Her father said the 18-year-old, the second oldest of five children, went to church and never got into trouble. He last talked to her the night before her body was found, when she said she was heading to a friend's house to download music to her iPod and hang out.

Rodrigues-Kaikana would have celebrated her 19th birthday on Oct. 20.

"She wanted to have a future," said her cousin, Evonne Kalaikai, 31.

Kalaikai said she hoped the march would "bring justice" for the family.

Debra and William Geron, Rodrigues-Kaikana's aunt and uncle, who took care of her for about 18 months when she was in middle school, said the family is devastated by the loss.

William Geron said he wants Rodrigues-Kaikana's death to raise awareness about violence in the community. "Beware of what can happen," he said. "Be aware of your surroundings."

Rodrigues-Kaikana's siblings also attended the march yesterday, holding signs with photos of the teen. Rodrigues-Kaikana's 12-year-old sister, Ilona, said she last saw her sister a few days before she died, when the two went shopping together.

"She's a nice sister," Ilona said. "She takes care of me."

Steven Rodrigues said Ilona and Rodrigues-Kaikana's other younger siblings have been asking him about her death and are trying to make sense of it themselves.

When they ask about her, Rodrigues said, "I just break down and cry. I got no answers."