Loved ones gather for funeral of Shellby Trettel, woman killed in shooting at Cloquet hotel
SCANLON, Minn. — There are some new clues in the tragic shooting of a young hotel worker and a guest.
The employee, Shellby Trettel, was laid to rest Wednesday before family and friends held a celebration of life for her.
Trettel, 22, was killed in Cloquet last week while she worked at the Super 8 hotel.
"The feelings are unexplainable," said Kristina Scott, Trettel's mother. "From the moment we found out we were pregnant with Shellby, she was the light of our life."
Police say a man from Ramsey named Nicholas Lenius shot Trettel. They believe he was a hotel guest. He's suspected of then shooting and killing another guest outside before turning the gun on himself.
Police, and those who knew the victims, are still searching for answers of why this happened.
"It's such an irrational, senseless event," said Trettel's cousin, Angel Lotus.
"Even if we do get answers, it's not going to change what happened and it's not going to bring our girl back at all," Scott said.
Friends and family say Trettel's sense of humor is one of the many things they'll carry with them the rest of their lives.
"She brings a smile to everybody's face," said Gracie Trettel, Shellby's sister. "She put others first before herself. She was struggling too. She was just a bright, wonderful human being."
Lotus says Trettel's smile was the biggest smile and "she just lit up the room."
The other victim was Patrick Roers from Itasca County.
"My heart goes out to that family also," Scott said. "This was such a random, senseless act. I'm going to miss [Shellby] deeply and the overwhelming amount of support shows how many lives Shellby touched."
