DELAND — A South Carolina military college student slain in DeLand and whose body was found in the back of an industrial lot across from City Hall, was buried Aug. 15.
Dustin “DJ” Rose, 19, a cadet at The Citadel, was remembered at a funeral service at the First Assembly of DeLand at 551 S. Kepler Road, by his family, friends, colleagues from the South Carolina National Guard, friends from the Camden Military Academy and representatives of The Citadel.
After the service, Rose was laid to rest at DeLand Memorial Gardens on East Beresford Avenue in DeLand.
Camden Military Academy Chaplain: Dustin Rose ‘was more than the final moments of his life’
Timothy Hunter, the chaplain for the Camden Military Academy, presented Dustin Rose’s eulogy. He said the circumstances of Dustin Rose’s death are painful, but they should not be dwelled upon.
“Despite the circumstances, the choices and decisions of earthly life, God’s grace is still ever present. The circumstances of his death are painful, but we cannot and should not pretend otherwise. We do not honor those circumstances by pretending that wrong was right,” Hunter said. “Sin has consequences, but sometimes these consequences are devastating, but we should not make the mistake of believing that that was the only part or the greater part of his life. Dustin was more than the final moments of his life.”
Hunter said Dustin Rose had accepted Jesus Christ as his savior, but even in biblical stories, people who accepted Christ sinned and made mistakes. He asked that people resist the urge to cast judgment as that is something only God can do.
“As we honor Dustin, DJ, let us resist the temptation to sit and act as if we are God and we got all the answers, because we don’t,” Hunter said.
Citadel Cadet Dustin Rose murdered in DeLand
Rose and his childhood friend, Samson Campbell, 18, were shot and killed in the back of an industrial lot on West New York Avenue across from DeLand City Hall, according to police.
Their bodies were discovered the night of July 29. Rose’s mother went looking for him in the area where his cellphone was pinging, according to Thomas Rose, Rose’s grandfather.
Rachel Rose, Dustin’s mother, found the bodies of her son and Campbell.
DeLand police said both Dustin Rose and Campbell were shot multiple times.
DeLand police said that Dustin Rose and Campbell knew their accused killer, Keyan Rundell.
Rundell, 18, was arrested Aug. 5 after he was found in a hotel in Ellenton, Manatee County. He was charged with two counts of second-degree murder. He told police he shot both men in self-defense because they were trying to rob him, according to an arrest report.
Citadel chaplain: Dustin Rose loved The Citadel Prayer
Aaron Meadows, the senior chaplain for The Citadel, also conveyed condolences to Dustin Rose’s family and shared that Dustin Rose is the third cadet that The Citadel has lost in 2026.
“Unfortunately, DJ is the third member that his class of 2029 has lost in the past year,” Meadows said. “It’s been such a tough year.”
Meadows then shared that although Dustin Rose was young and that his death has been difficult for the DeLand community, he wanted to tell mourners at the funeral service that Dustin Rose was dedicated to God and also loved the Prayer of the Citadel.
“We do mourn with the hope that in Christ even a short life can be complete in him,” Meadows said.
― Patricio G. Balona is a crime and public safety reporter covering Volusia County and occasionally Flagler County. His coverage areas include Daytona Beach, DeLand, Ormond Beach and beyond.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Funeral held for Citadel cadet killed in DeLand
Reporting by Patricio G. Balona, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Patricio G. Balona, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
