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Aug 7, 2008 10:05 pm US/Central
Candlelight Vigil Held For Murder-Suicide Victims
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 News) ―
A Fort Worth family of three was found dead Wednesday night. Police say it was a double murder-suicide. Throughout the day Thursday people stopped by the family's home leaving prayers, flowers and stuffed animals.
Later in the evening friends and loved ones gathered near the home to light candles in memory of 14-year-old Mailen Pizarro, her 36-year-old mother Eliana Vece and her 44-year-old husband James Vece.
A speaker at the vigil said there is a huge vacancy in the neighborhood and so many people devastated by the loss of the family.
More than 100 people lit candles and shed tears for the murder-suicide victims. Many of those attending the candlelight vigil went to school with Mailen, others attended the same church as the family. Even some Fort Worth Police officers came to pay their respects.
Investigators believe 44-year-old James Vece fatally shot his wife Eliana and his step-daughter Mailen before turning the gun on himself.
Those mourning are still trying to figure out went wrong. No one seemed to be aware of any existing problems the family had.
"This loss is really affecting me, because I loved her so much and I just can't imagine life without her," explained Mailen's friend Krisstina Lewis. "She always talked good about her family. She just lived with her mother and her step-dad, and he was adopting her and she was happy. She never told us anything was happening."
The pastor at church Eliana and Mailen attended says he saw some red flags.
"You could just sense that Eliana was going through a difficult time. She would ask for prayers. I didn't never know the idea that there was a problem in the marriage," Primera Iglesia Bautista Rev. Roland Johnson explained. "I know there were some issues with step father/step daughter relationship."
Eliana and Mailen are originally from Argentina.
Mailen was preparing to enter Central High School in the fall. Eliana was a second grade teacher in Irving and worked at Motorola during the summer.
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