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Former Irvington-on-Hudson resident Kaitlyn Ashley Lynch was killed on Friday, Aug. 18 at the age of 36 while sitting in her parked car outside her home in Cincinnati, Ohio, according to the city's police department.
On the day of her death, just before midnight, Cincinnati officers responded to Lynch's home and found evidence that suggested there had been a shooting and possible kidnapping, and began searching for her vehicle.
With help from the Tennessee Highway Patrol and multiple police agencies in Kentucky and Tennessee, Lynch's vehicle was eventually found in Tennessee.
Inside the car, officers discovered Lynch's body. The next day, Saturday, Aug. 19, 32-year-old Lance Miller was arrested and charged with murder and kidnapping, police said.
Now, in the aftermath of Lynch's death, her family is at a complete loss that this would happen to her, according to the family's friend and Ardsley resident Krystle Vingo, who organized a GoFundMe fundraiser in order to raise money for Lynch's funeral costs.
"Kaitlyn’s family is overwhelmed with emotions," Vingo wrote on the fundraiser page. The family themselves also released a statement.
"We are in complete disbelief that this has happened to our Kaitlyn," the family said, adding, "Anyone who knew Kaitlyn knew how much she loved being a mom to her two beautiful daughters and how she was always willing to lend a hand. She was funny, beautiful, determined and she will be deeply missed by all.”
Born in Port Chester in 1987, Lynch's family moved to Irvington when she was still a baby before briefly settling in numerous states such as Illinois, Florida, and Missouri, where she developed a talent for competitive diving.
Eventually, the family returned to Irvington and Lynch finished her schooling there, graduating from Ardsley High School in 2005.
Throughout her life, Lynch called her mother her best friend, even after moving to Ohio, where she proudly became a loving wife and mother. Her time in the state was spent raising her much-loved daughters Avery and Ryan.
To those who knew her, Lynch was known for always helping others and bringing a smile wherever she went. Behind this smile, though, was a sarcastic, sharp wit known for its humor and candidness, according to her obituary.
Above all though, Lynch was known for her bond with her family, who are only just beginning to recover from her loss. Luckily, they will not be alone during this mourning period, as hundreds of community members have pulled together to raise nearly $63,000 to cover the cost of bringing Lynch home to Westchester and her funeral expenses.
"We could have never imagined the outpour of love and support that has come from all around," Lynch's family said in a statement in response to the fundraiser, also adding, "We are speechless and forever grateful."
The family also said that any additional donations would go toward covering Avery and Ryan's education.
Anyone wishing to donate to the GoFundMe page can do so by clicking here.
Lynch leaves behind her mother, Louise; her father, Daniel; her siblings, John and Makena; and her nieces and nephews, Steele, Theo, Leo, Ellie, and Millie.
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