Fifty-five year old, Amy Hoffer, loved her children, her family, and her faith. She was the kind of person people around her depended on. "She was just a great sister. I miss her a lot. We were three years apart," her sister, Paula Diehl, told Erie News Now.

Amy was shot and killed in her Lincoln Avenue home on August 28th by her ex-boyfriend, who then took his own life. Her big sister can never forget the day she got the news. "I was real shocked and upset. This guy actually shot my sister," she said.

But Tuesday evening, local religious groups gathered to take back the site of Amy's murder, blessing the grounds with Holy Water and sharing stories of Amy, likening the property with her life and not her death. 

"I really feel like she was a mom to anybody she met. Everything she has done for us has made me and Nick into better people," her son, Paul Hoffer, said to the crowd at the vigil.

SafeNet tells us relationships that end in violence very rarely begin that way. The key to preventing incidents like this is knowing when to get help.

Diehl tells us Amy had gotten a restraining order against her killer, and he wouldn't leave her alone after she broke off their relationship. "She had talked to people at work saying she was having problems with him, and it just escalated to this," Diehl said.

Robyn Young with SafeNet says abuse isn't always physical before it turns to murder. "The thing is, I've seen people get killed who had never had a hand laid on them before that. So, you have to follow your gut, and when you feel there's something wrong in your relationship, you have to pay attention to it," Young said.

SafeNet says incidents like this could happen to anyone. "If it can happen to someone like Amy, who is so very loved, it can happen to you. Reach out for help. Talk to people at SafeNet. Talk about safety," she said.

Her family hoping that by sharing her story, someone else can make it out of an abusive relationship alive. "She was very outgoing. Loved music, singing, spending time with her two sons. She's really going to be missed," said Diehl.

One in four women are a victim of domestic violence. If you, or someone you know, is in an abusive relationship, resources are available. SafeNet's 24/7 hotline is (814) 454-8161.