Murdered Oakley teen's birthday celebrated by family and friends
OAKLEY -- Friday was a day full of mixed emotions as an Oakley family celebrated their daughter's birthday while also mourning her death.
Alexis Gabe was brutally murdered more than a year ago and her killer scattered her body parts in Amador County.
Family members said the best birthday present would be to finally get justice for Alexis.
Alexis Gabe would have turned 25 years old Friday and her family along with the community of Oakley held a celebration in her honor.
"We're supposed to be celebrating. She's supposed to be celebrating her birthday with us," said Alexis' father, Gwyn Gabe.
Her mother, Rowena Gabe, added "The longer that I feel that she's not here, it's really hard to move on."
Alexis Gabe was murdered in 2022 after visiting her boyfriend in Antioch.
What has made this case even more painful for the family is that they have not been able to bring her home.
Some of her body parts are still missing after her killer scattered her remains in rural Amador County. But, thanks to a group of 700 volunteers -- many of them mothers -- Alexis' torso has finally been recovered.
We were very appreciative. What they found was a big part of her and that's actually the part the DA was looking for. That's what they're asking for because they want to know how she died," Gwyn Gabe said.
The Gabe family can't say exactly what was found but Gwyn said a lot of evidence has been collected. He hopes this leads to charges for those responsible for covering up the murder.
Investigators believe Alexis was murdered by her boyfriend Marshall Jones. However, the family is convinced others were involved. Jones was killed by police as they tried to serve an arrest warrant.