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Traci-Marie Jones, age 52, was found dead in Bethel along with her estranged husband, Lester Jones, age 58, on Tuesday, Jan. 31 around 11:50 p.m. after police responded to their home on Reservoir Street when neighbors heard yelling.
The couple was found to have died from gunshot wounds. Traci-Marie Jones was shot in the head and chest and was determined to be a homicide victim, while Lester Jones died by suicide with a gunshot wound to the head.
The couple had been estranged because of domestic abuse, Bethel Police said, adding that Traci-Marie Jones had sought a protective order against Lester Jones on Tuesday, Jan. 17. On the day of the murder-suicide, Lester Jones entered the residence and shot and killed Traci-Marie before killing himself, police added.
Since the tragic incident, the community has come together to support the family of Traci-Marie Jones in the form of a GoFundMe page, which was started to support the "loving mother, daughter, sister, dear friend, mentor, teacher, stylist, and colleague gone way too soon," according to the fundraiser page.
"Traci touched the lives of so many and was known to light up the room with her laugh and her smile. To know Traci, was to love Traci," wrote Melissa Guner, a friend of Jones.
According to Guner, the family had not asked for money, but when they saw how much people wanted to contribute, they gave the fundraiser their blessing.
Since the fundraiser was started, the goal of $10,000 has been more than doubled, with the GoFundMe page collecting more than $20,000 as of Tuesday, Feb. 7.
"No one was prepared for her to be taken from us, and we are all still in shock and grieving," Guner wrote on the GoFundMe page.
Those wishing to donate can do so by clicking here.
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