A son and father of four, Miles Monias loved playing hockey and was a big fan of sports and music. He was killed one day before his 37th birthday.

"I did go for a walk with him on the day before he died. I had my arms wrapped around him," said Miles’ dad Ron Monias.

He invited his son for supper and offered to buy him new shoes but Miles said no and told his father he'd be fine.

"Away he went and he said 'I love you dad' and like we've always told each other I told him 'I love you my son' and that was the last time."

Found badly beaten in a Main Street at Pioneer Avenue bus shelter, police allege the suspect killed Monias when the two men came into contact early in the morning on April 10.

John Paul Ostamas, 39, is charged with second-degree murder in the death, along with facing two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Stony Bushie and Donald Collins on April 25 in downtown Winnipeg.

Collins' relative Valerie Canfield said her 65-year-old cousin lived with schizophrenia and battled addictions but was a kind and soft-spoken man.

"It's a terrible way to die and it really bothers us that he came to meet his end this way and we really do hope the person responsible is brought to justice," said Canfield from her home in Kenora, Ont.

Family members had a funeral for Miles Monias in his home community of Garden Hill and that's where he was laid to rest.

A memorial is planned for Friday, May 1, at 2 p.m. at the bus shelter. Ron Monias said it's needed to help bring the family closure.

"We have to let him go and that's what we're planning to do," said Monias.

Thursday evening, prayers were held for 48-year-old Stony Stanley Bushie at the Aboriginal Funeral Chapel on Selkirk Avenue.

Henry Neufeld led the service and said he met the Bushie family when he taught on Little Grand Rapids First Nation decades ago, where Stony grew up.

Cousin Charles Moore dispelled media reports that Bushie lived on downtown Winnipeg streets. "Stony wasn't homeless. He was from Little Grand. And he was here to see a doctor," said Moore.

(With files from Josh Crabb and Meghan Roberts)