The Cranston Police continue to investigate the discovery of a dead body that was left in the Pocasset Cemetery and apparently set on fire on March 20. Fingerprints identified the victim as 22-year-old Gandy S. Kaydea. Kaydea’s last known address was 59 Progress Ave. in Providence.

In a press release last week, police said they were dispatched to the Pocasset Cemetery on Dyer Avenue around 10:30 p.m. for what initially appeared as a small brush fire along the side of the entrance to the cemetery, but when investigators got closer, it was determined that there was a body involved.

The body was turned over to the Medical Examiner’s Office and investigators hope the post mortem examination will determine the time and manner of Kaydea’s death. In a follow-up release last week, police said they believe the death was gang-related.

“Our preliminary inquiries indicated that may be the case,” said Chief of Police Col. Marco Palombo.

Palombo did not elaborate, saying only that the investigation is ongoing and his department could not release any information that could potentially jeopardize that.

Despite reports of a potential gang connection, those who knew Kaydea say he was doing his best amid difficult circumstances. Teny Gross, executive director of The Institute for the Practice of Non-Violence in Providence, where Kaydea was studying to get his GED, said that while Kaydea did have friends involved in gang activity, Gross did not believe he was an active gang member at the time of his death.

Kaydea was the father of an 8-month-old baby and an aspiring musician who went by the name of “Young Shad.” By day, Gross says he was diligent about his studies, attending his classes at a time when other students might have quit.

“I think the stress of not having a place to stay recently had really taken a toll, but he would still come for the GED classes,” Gross said. “That kind of stamina is pretty great.”

Gross remembers Kaydea as a leader in the classroom.

“He was a leader. If someone missed a class, he would say, ‘Let’s call them.’ The teachers feel a terrible loss. His classmates feel a terrible loss,” Gross said.

Kaydea had dropped out of high school but was nearing his final GED examination. What he planned to do after that, Gross was not sure, but he had faith that Kaydea was ready to improve his situation. Gross said Kaydea was opinionated and enjoyed discussing those opinions in class.

“He was very warm and at the same time, he was kind of an intellectual. He was a great debater and he was very proud of that,” he said. “We talked about college and I definitely saw some college material there; he was catching up.”

“They’re all here because they want a different life for themselves,” Gross added about his students.