BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA: In a brutal incident that has left the Blacksburg community in shock, 17-year-old Serenity Hawley was killed by her ex-boyfriend in an apparent murder-suicide two days before her 18th birthday.
In a press release issued following the incident in Virginia, the Blacksburg (Va.) Police Department stated that on Tuesday, November 7, two high school students were discovered dead in a parking garage.
However, the teenagers were not identified at the time, reports People.
What led to the tragic death of Serenity Hawley?
Serenity Hawley's mother confirmed to local news outlet WSLS that her daughter was one of the victims.
She further added that her daughter was shot in the chest by her ex-boyfriend who then turned the weapon on himself.
Speaking to The Roanoke Times and WDBJ, Hawley's parents stated that their daughter died from a murder-suicide.
However, law enforcement authorities have not yet labeled the deaths a murder-suicide but stated that there was no ongoing threat to the community.
Hawley's father John Hawley identified the suspect Croney Monk who was a junior at Blacksburg High School and a former varsity football player.
A motive behind the brutal murder has not been revealed.
GoFundMe raises more than $20,000 for Serenity Hawley
The 17-year-old girl was recently accepted into Virginia Tech, according to WSLS. She also worked at Your Pie Pizza.
Serenity's mother, Heather Waldron, told the outlet that two weeks before the killing, her daughter's school issued a no-contact order between the two teenagers, and a month before, there had been an incident between them.
Waldron further stated that the school knew her daughter's ex-boyfriend had a history of disturbing behavior and they could have done more to protect her Serenity.
A GoFundMe page was set up by Serenity's family. As of Friday morning, November 10, the page has raised more than $20,000.
"To have known serenity was to have known love and kindness," read the GoFundMe description.
"She emitted it everywhere she went and left no one untouched in a room she shared. She was gorgeous, smart and well loved by everyone, taken entirely too soon from us," the description continued.
"She’s a daughter, a sister, a friend, a teammate, and a student, that will be cherished and remembered by the memories we all shared with her," it added.
"She’s innocence, beauty, happiness, compassion and love all blurred into one. We know that the memory of her will serve as an ongoing inspiration and reminder to make love the center of your life," the description concluded.
