More than seven hundred mourners attended a private funeral service on Monday for Domenico and Nancy Ianiero, the Ontario couple found slain in Mexico two weeks ago.

The couple's niece, Rosanne Ianiero, delivered an emotionally charged eulogy during the service at St. Clare of Assisi parish in Woodbridge, north of Toronto.

"We remember how much you loved to share a glass of wine and good food with friends and family," Ianiero said.

"I will never forget how you loved my son and took care of him as my own…We can all cherish the way Dominic and Nancy touched our lives."

The niece also lashed out at Mexican officials who have suggested the murders are somehow linked to organized crime.

"At this time, you should not have to defend your name," Ianiero said, her voice growing stronger with anger.

The mourners had nothing but wonderful things to say about the Ianieros.

"They were fantastic people. Caring and nice. You probably wouldn't find better human beings than them," one mourner said.

Parish Priest Rev. John Borean asked mourners to forgive those who killed the Ianieros.

"We feel a great loss for a crime that should not have been," Borean told The Canadian Press.

But for many it is too soon.

"People who commit these types of crimes need to be brought to justice and need to pay the price," said Tony Meffe, a family friend, "I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it."

When asked whether he could forgive those responsible he simply shook his head and said, "I really don't know right now."

The Ianieros' bodies were found, throats slashed, on Feb. 20 in their room at a five-star luxury resort on the Mayan Riviera.

Investigation

The funeral was monitored by York Regional Police officers as the investigation focused on friends and possibly family members who travelled to Mexico with the Ianieros.

"I have already spoken with the family. They are quite anxious to relate any information they may have that would assist in the investigation," York Regional Police officer, Les Young said.

"They (the family) are very concerned about rumours and innuendoes," Young told CP.

"I've explained to them that what counts in the very end of it is that the investigation is done properly and thoroughly and that the faces will come out."

At an afternoon news conference on Monday, York region Police Chief Armand La Barge confirmed that police, on behalf of Interpol, will begin interviews with the 16 people who travelled to Mexico to attend the planned wedding.

"I received correspondence from Interpol requesting our assistance officially. Prior to that, we spoke to the Ianiero family and offered whatever assistance we could provide them with, and they had taken advantage of that."

As officers directed the heavy traffic from mourners and media gathered at the funeral, detectives took photos of people entering and exiting the church, while noting the licence plate numbers of cars.

"You don't get a second opportunity if you don't take advantage of that," Le Barge told CP, "It's that one piece of information that could conceivably lead to an important investigative lead."

Police likewise monitored a visitation at a Woodbridge funeral home on Sunday. An investigator sat in a parked car just outside the home, noting the cars and people entering.

Despite their grief, the Ianiero family is eager for the police interviews to start as early as tomorrow.

York-Simcoe MP Peter Van Loan, the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, told CTV Toronto that "there is full co-operation now" between the Canadian and Mexican authorities.

"We made that a priority, we made it clear we wanted that to happen and we're very pleased that is happening now and we're here to pay their respects."

With a report from CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney