Candlelight vigil to be held in honor of murdered Fulton teacher, daughter
FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ)
A candlelight vigil will be held Thursday in honor of Allison and Jozee Abitz, who were found dead in their home Sunday night.
Boone County deputies found Allison and Jozee in the 7500 block of Lavender Drive just south of Columbia after getting a call from a concerned family member late Sunday, according to a sheriff's office Facebook post. Investigators believe the Abitzes are homicide victims. The vigil will take place at Southside Baptist Church from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Allison was a second-grade teacher at Bush Elementary in Fulton, which solemnly started the school year on Wednesday. Superintendent Ty Crain turned down an interview about the first day of school out of respect for Allison and Jozee.
Abitz taught at Bush for five years. Fulton Public Schools canceled an open house at Bush Elementary Monday just two nights before school is set to start on Wednesday.
FPS released a statement Tuesday morning about the Abitzes.
"We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of Bush Elementary School teacher, Allison Abitz, and her daughter, Jozee Abitz," the statement said. "Allison was a beloved staff member, exemplary teacher, and loving mother."
To help students and teachers grieve with the loss of Allison and Jozee, FPS brought in social workers and counselors. They were made available at Bush Elementary and Fulton Middle School on Tuesday and will continue to work with anyone who needs help.
"We all react to death and crises in different ways," Crain said in the statement. "As a community, we must try our hardest to band together and be there for one another. We all need to try to understand and accept a variety of different emotions and reactions."
Capt. Brian Leer with the Boone County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that the department will not comment on the ongoing investigation, but he added "the autopsies performed on the bodies of the homicide victims as the medical opinions and findings are very important."
