SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Family and friends gathered for a vigil in South Salt Lake to remember a woman who was allegedly shot and killed by her boyfriend.

The victim, 32-year-old Shandon Scott, left behind a 15-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son.

Her friends said Scott was loving and loyal, but claim she stayed in a bad relationship for too long.

“She was so loved and so cared about,” said Heather Redford. “She was my best friend. It’s just horrible.”

Redford said she was with Scott the night she was murdered.

“I was with her two hours before it happened,” said Redford. “I never thought in a million years that I would get a phone call saying, ‘Heather, what’s going on? What happened to Shandon?'”

Police said early Saturday morning, Scott was found dead inside a car that crashed into a wall on I-80, but investigators said it wasn’t the crash that killed her — it was a gunshot wound. 

The driver ran away from the scene, but he was later caught and identified as Shandon’s boyfriend, 31-year-old Terence Vos.

“They did have a previous domestic violence history between the two, Shandon and Terence. In addition, we do know he has a very lengthy criminal history. He’s been known to law enforcement, really his entire life,” said Sgt. Melody Cutler with the Unified Police Department.

Vos was a parole fugitive and has a history of assault and weapons charges.

Friends said they told Scott to leave him months ago.

“We told her to stop, and now she’s not here anymore because of it,” said Redford through tears.

Dozens of friends and family members held a vigil for Scott Sunday night at Fitts Park.

They wrote notes to Scott, put them in red balloons and sent them off into the sky. They hope she gets the messages.

“I love you. I love you, Shandon, and I’m so sorry that you had to go through this,” said Redford. “We all love you and we are here for you and your family.”

Vos was taken straight to prison because of his parole violation. No charges in Scott’s death have been filed yet.

Friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help Scott’s family.

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