Vigil held to honor mother killed in Fort Lupton domestic violence case

WELD COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) – On Saturday, a week after a woman was shot and killed in Westminster, her family gathered at a well-known park to honor her memory.

“My kids and everyone else’s kids all grew up together and this is where we would all end up,” said Pete Hernandez, the victim’s uncle.

Valarie Garcia’s family said the 36-year-old was shot near 120th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard and then taken to a Brighton hospital where she died. They said she was killed by her boyfriend of two years, 37-year-old Jesse Gladney.

At a park in Fort Lupton, family and friends gathered with balloons, pictures of Garcia and candles. It was a park where the tight-knit community celebrated birthdays and graduations together, remembering a life that ended far too soon.

“Her laughter was contagious. People laughed at her laughter,” said her older sister Alexis Garcia.

They released balloons and lit candles to remind her of the light she brought wherever she went.

“Lighting the candle should be a light of joy,” Hernandez said.

Now her family wants to give some hope to people who may be victims of domestic violence and encourage them to talk about it if they find themselves in a situation where they feel unsafe.

“Just talk. We love you. We are here for you,” said Alexis Garcia.

To support the family during this time, a fundraising campaign was started.

Gladney is being held at the Adams County Detention Facility and is charged with first-degree murder. The woman’s family said Gladney is due back in court in late September.