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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; On the eve of the second anniversary of Donnie Bachman&#8217;s violent death, two common themes were repeatedly echoed at a vigil in his honor &#8212; remembering Donnie, and longing for answers.</p><p>A small crowd gathered on Public Square at 5 p.m. Sunday, lighting candles, reciting a prayer and recalling the good times with a man many saw as a watchdog in his neighborhood. On May 1, 2015, those good times came to an abrupt halt after Bachman, 49, was gunned down outside his home as he was getting out of his car. The <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/655149/frustration-understanding-mark-anniversary-of-wilkes-barre-watchdogs-murder" target="_blank">search </a>for his killer continues.</p><p>The vigil was led by Judi Comisky and Michael Bachman, Donnie&#8217;s sister and cousin, respectively.</p><p>&#8220;We want to remember Donnie and keep his light burning,&#8221; Comisky said as candles were being passed around to the crowd.</p><p>Members of the group spoke up with memories of Donnie. Some recalled that he was brilliant and technical-minded, while others focused on his mischievous sense of humor. Michael recalled a time when his cousin in his youth glued a silver dollar to the sidewalk outside his house to watch passers-by struggle to pick it up.</p><p>George Willis, the director of maintenance at Martz Trailways, where Donnie was a mechanic, also spoke, saying that Donnie was one of the most talented people he had ever worked with, and was both a good worker and a good friend.</p><p>&#8220;I still have a picture of Donnie outside my office,&#8221; Willis said. &#8220;I say good morning to him every day.&#8221;</p><p>The Bachman family is hoping that the vigil will help to bring about some answers regarding Bachman&#8217;s death.</p><p>&#8220;By having the vigil, it brings it to the forefront,&#8221; Comisky said after the vigil ended. &#8220;It keeps what happened in people&#8217;s memories, and it keeps it in the papers.&#8221;</p><p>It was publicly known that Bachman reported crime and suspected crime in his neighborhood to police. It&#8217;s uncertain whether that played any part in his death.</p><p>Michael Bachman, who previously lived in Wilkes-Barre but is now living in Texas, said that something needs to be done about the crime in Wilkes-Barre, adding that he has become &#8220;consumed&#8221; by reading the news regarding the frequent crime in the city.</p><p>Michael said after the vigil that one solution for the prevalent crime would be for towns surrounding Wilkes-Barre to link up with the city under a single police department to increase the total number of police in the towns. Michael said that this is common in the Houston area, where he currently lives.</p><p>&#8220;If Wilkes-Barre is going to get better &#8230; it takes way more than 83 police to fix that kind of a problem,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Michael also pointed out that he reached out with invitations to members of city government to come and represent the city at the vigil, including Mayor Tony George.</p><p>Reached later on his cellphone, George said he was unable to attend the vigil due to other appointments. But he did emphasize that there were leads in the case surrounding Donnie&#8217;s death, &#8220;more than we had before.&#8221;</p><p>This echoes what had been said by Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis and Wilkes-Barre Police Chief Marcella Lendacky, who both stated previously to the Times Leader that the investigation is still open.</p><p>Don Bachman Sr., Donnie&#8217;s father, said that part of him died with his son. &#8220;They&#8217;re going to crash,&#8221; he said of his son&#8217;s killer.</p><p>Donnie&#8217;s sister said she was unsure if a similar vigil will be held next year for the third anniversary of his death, but she said that this year&#8217;s vigil was vital.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s important for us to do, to try to get some answers,&#8221; Comisky said. &#8220;Maybe this will spark something in someone&#8217;s heart.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Donnie Bachman&#8217;s sister, Judi Comiski, holds a candle at the vigil. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_bachman2_faa.jpg</photo0><caption0>Donnie Bachman&#8217;s sister, Judi Comiski, holds a candle at the vigil. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_bachman3_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Michael Bachman tells a story about his brother, Donnie, during the vigil on Public Square. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_bachman3_faa.jpg</photo1><caption1>Michael Bachman tells a story about his brother, Donnie, during the vigil on Public Square. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_bachman1_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Family and friends of Donnie Bachman attend a vigil Sunday for the 49-year-old Wilkes-Barre resident who was gunned down in front of his Willow Street home on May 1, 2015. Bachman&#8217;s cousin, Michael Bachman, and his sister, Judi Comisky, with their backs to the camera, spoke at the opening of the vigil. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_bachman1_faa.jpg</photo2><caption2>Family and friends of Donnie Bachman attend a vigil Sunday for the 49-year-old Wilkes-Barre resident who was gunned down in front of his Willow Street home on May 1, 2015. Bachman&#8217;s cousin, Michael Bachman, and his sister, Judi Comisky, with their backs to the camera, spoke at the opening of the vigil. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6119 or on Twitter @PatKernan.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Vigil goers remember slain Wilkes-Barre watchdog Donnie Bachman