They have no respect for what other people think ...”
Nor do I. If one of my children were killed (God forbid) in a highly publicized event (I don’t know... a drunk driving mayor’s son following an argument with his father on Christmas day) I would not want the funeral to be a public spectacle. I especially wouldn’t want a bunch of teenagers there to make it into a huge vigil event. Family and close friends of my approval would be invited, end of story. I don’t care if it hurt other teens feelings.
Police and cemetery staff may have suggested this, fearing a violent crowd at the funeral. And for the sake of the girl’s mother (and female siblings, if any), they have a right to a peaceful funeral. I believe the murderer is still locked up, but the brother is out on bail, and outraged people might well have turned up bent on killing him.