Fearful but not paralyzed, the small town of Edson is mourning a loss of one of their own after a 14-year-old girl was killed in broad daylight.

Many members of the community gathered Monday to hold a vigil outside of a church to support the family of Emily Stauffer, the daughter of a pastor who was killed over the weekend.

Nola Gideon, one of the vigil's organizers and mother of two teenage daughters, said the community will pull together to help the grieving family.

"We wanted to show them that we care about what has happened and we feel their pain," she said.

Stauffer's body was found Saturday on a wooded trail near several homes.

Terry Lozinski, one of the first people on scene after police were called, said it looked like Emily had been strangled to death.

"They were huddled around performing CPR on her," he said. "There was a bloody rope on the trail."

Meanwhile, more than 30 RCMP officers were scouring the town for the person responsible for the slaying.

RCMP Cpl. Wayne Oakes says Mounties in the Edson area and across Alberta are looking for a white man about 30 years old, wearing a blue jacket and jeans.

Officers believe the man may have fled the area on an ATV or other form of transportation.

"It really is an endless possibility where the person is from and where could be at this time," he said.

Oakes says tips from the public are key and is urging anyone who may have seen such a man in the trail area on Saturday afternoon to call police.

Investigators have also released a photo of a person of interest. The RCMP stressed Monday the man is not a suspect, just someone they would like to speak with.

As the search continues, rumours of vigilante justice swirl through the town.

Edson resident Mitch Iwanciwski said people are keeping their eyes open and no one is walking through the streets alone.

"People are scared, like how do you deal with this, this guy's an idiot," he said.

Meanwhile, Edson Mayor Greg Pasychny is trying to ward off vigilante justice.

"Leave it to the RCMP," he said. "We have over 30 extra RCMP in town. We borrowed the investigative members from our neighbouring municipalities."

With files from the Canadian Press

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