A nail salon owner who was slain by her ex-boyfriend has left a community and family in mourning after losing a beloved member of their lives.
Rizza Abrera, the mother of four children, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend, Steven Evans, 41, police say.
In an interview with 8 News Now, the victim’s family spoke about the impact she had on so many.
“She was an amazing woman,” Ricamyr Bautista, the victim’s sister said. “She left a hole in our hearts in our lives.”
According to Metro Lt. Jason Johansson, “upon going into the residence, they located the male in a room with a gunshot wound to his head and they located the female, unresponsive.”
It all began as a kidnapping that turned into a full-blown standoff in southwest Valley, a suburb of Las Vegas, and ended in a murder-suicide; Evans would kill Abrera, then kill himself.
Police recently spoke up about the hazards officers face while responding to domestic disputes.
“Because the truth is we have to get the victims help and out of a situation so it doesn’t end up in a deadly encounter,” Metro’s Assistant Sheriff Sasha Larkin said.
Bautista says even though her sister is gone, she will remain strong.
“I still cry every day. It’s hard to be able to talk about her without having too much emotions,” she said. “She wanted to do so much for the kids,” Bautista said when asked what she wanted people to know about her sister. “She wanted to give them so much all these plans to travel.”
Yreena Nicholas, the victim’s daughter also spoke about her mother and recommended that people not judge her mother because of how she died.
“Everybody is labeling my mother,” she said. “‘Oh, she did this to herself’ and everything.’ That’s not right.”
She further added that she now wants to raise awareness so that this tragic turn of events does not happen to anyone else.
“I feel like nobody talks about it enough. It hurts to make an example out of my mom,” Nicholas said.
While Bautista and Nicholas mourn the loss of their family member, they say the family has filed a restraining order against Evans. According to 8 News Now, Clark County court records show the case as sealed.
Meanwhile, Nicholas hopes the story of her mother will help someone else going through the same.
“I hope it translates the truth about domestic abuse overall,” she said. “Besides my mom, it’s always been a problem.”
“Love yourself and have the courage to move on because if you don’t it could be the end of your life,” Bautista added.
