Family, Friends Gather To Remember Tanya Gonzalez
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Family and friends of Tanya Gonzalez, who police found dead in the trunk of her car after a week of searching, gathered Friday evening in her memory.
Gonzalez's wake started at 6:00 p.m. at the Vior Funeral Home. Her funeral will be held Saturday.
Watch Gaby Fleischman's report, click here.
"That's not fair, that's not fair. She didn't deserve to go this way, nobody deserves to go the way that she did," said a friend Alice Navarro. "I came to pay my respects and bring her some flowers to let her know that's she's beautiful."
Loved ones grieved and said goodbye.
"We know that she's in heaven, that she's in a safe place and that we'll all see her soon," said Stephanie Reut.
A touching tribute was posted on Facebook by Gonzalez's best friend remembering the good times they shared. In the video, her friend Lelly Reyes said she was,"a pearl in the ocean."
"I wish there were more Tanyas out there," said Reyes. "She's the sweetest person I never met."
Thursday evening, Gonzalez's former co-workers and friends held a fundraiser at the Mojito Bar in Bayside where the 28-year-old used to work as a bartender.
"A beautiful life was taken away. We need to keep on talking about domestic violence. We need to keep talking about creating more laws here in the city and in this country to protect women," said former co-worker Brahms Alexis.
CLICK HERE To Watch Marybel Rodriguez's Report
Police found Gonzalez's body in the trunk of her BNW one week after she went missing. That same day, police located her ex-boyfriend and "person of interest" in the case, 33-year-old Roy Blanco. Detectives say Blanco and his mother fled to Big Coppitt Key and as authorities moved in to take them into custody, the pair began to swallow pills.
Customs and Border Protection officers first confronted Roy Blanco who was crouching on the ground attempting to ingest the unknown pills. They were knocked from his hands and he was placed in handcuffs. His mother was doing the same.
Once Blanco was under control, they noticed a bulge under his shirt which turned out to be a knife. They said it was protruding from his stomach.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Officers said none of the officers on the scene actually saw Roy Blanco stab himself with the knife.
While Roy Blanco did not survive, his mother did.
READ: Body Found In Trunk Of Missing Woman's Car, "Person Of Interest" Dead
Authorities located the two after local Dwayne Day saw them and called 911. He said he had seen Blanco and his mother Marta Blanco possibly living under a bridge or in the woods. The giveaway was the Siberian Husky they were traveling with.
Day said when he saw Blanco and his mother coming out of the woods, he called 911 while following them on his bike but said they headed back for the woods once they saw deputies closing in on them.
Monroe County Sheriff's Office released the 911 call made from Day.
Day: "They just went into the bushes."
Operator "They just cut into the bushes? Which one?"
Day: "They're hiding in the bushes."
Operator: "They're hiding in the bushes? Okay. Across from what?"
Day said they rushed into the bushes and had nowhere to go since there was water on the other side leaving them trapped.
At last check, sources close to the investigation said Marta Blanco was slipping in and out of consciousness so police had not been able to question her but she is expected to survive. It is unclear if she will face any charges.
"I think he's a coward," said Reyes. "I have no mercy towards him or his mother."
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