Candlelight vigil for domestic violence victim - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

A somber night in Toledo as dozens of people came together to remember Katie Sheppard, 29.  A small memorial sits at the home she shared with her husband.

Friday night, police were called to check on her after she didn't show up for work.  Officers found her covered in a blanket, apparently strangled on the porch.  Her husband, Kyle Sheppard, 29, was arrested in Canada for her murder.

"He's always been distant from me," Katie's aunt, Linda Platt said.

Platt says Katie was always smiling with a bubbly personality, so she never suspected anything was wrong.  But now, she's struggling to make sense of Katie's sudden death.

"It's a shame nobody told me that she was being abused because everybody wanted to keep it a dirty secret," Platt said.

Katie's friend and co-worker, Stephanie Plocek put the vigil together.  She said, "we always just think that tomorrow will be here.  I never thought this day would ever come nor would I ever want it to be here to see a friend suffer like this."

While this family and friends struggle with the overwhelming grief, they hope Katie's story will save other families from feeling the heartbreak of losing someone at the hands of their partner.

"Hopefully from this everybody has learned to speak up," Platt said. "If you know somebody is being hurt, let the family be aware."