Shellby Trettel, woman killed at Cloquet Super 8, remembered by loved ones as kindhearted
CLOQUET, Minn. — In a steady snowfall, dozens of friends and family came out to say goodbye to Shellby Trettel, a 22-year-old her father says touched more lives than she ever knew.
"We all love you. We're here for you and we love Shellby. She'll always be remembered," one woman said to Shellby's family.
The candlelight vigil was outside the Super 8 hotel where Shellby had worked since she was a teenager. It's a place that was special to her, but also where tragedy struck this week when police say a man shot Shellby inside before shooting a hotel guest in the parking lot, then himself.
"It's a mix of emotions really. It's so hard to even begin processing for me what happened," Tim Trettel, Shellby's father, said.
Shellby's father says she gave him a gift the day she died. It was their last conversation.
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"She'd ordered me this wood-burned Fenway Park poster and it had come in that day actually," Tim said. "So right before work, she'd brought that down and given it to me."
Shellby's sister says that's just who she was.
"She was a very kindhearted person. She would put others first. She made time out of her day to spend time with each of her siblings," Gracie Trettel said.
Shellby's family feels for the family of the other victim in the shooting as well — Patrick Roers, a 35-year-old from Itasca County.
Police say the suspected shooter is Nicholas Lenius from Ramsey.
"It's sad and I know the grieving process is anger, but I don't feel any anger. Not yet," Tim said.
Shellby's father said he wishes she could be there to see how many people love her. Someone answered back, she is here.
Shellby's family says the suspected shooter may have been a guest at the hotel in the past but they don't know why this senseless act of violence was committed. Police are still trying to figure out his motive.
