LANCASTER – Family members and loved ones will be holding a candlelight vigil this Friday for Reyna Gutierrez, the 23-year-old woman shot and killed inside a Lancaster smoke shop this past Sunday.
The vigil will start a 6 p.m. and will take place at the Eastside Marketplace on Avenue J and Division Street.
Reyna’s mother and many of her family members live in the Antelope Valley and are expected to attend the vigil.
The vigil is being organized by close friends of Reyna, who’ve known her for more than 15 years.
“This is a hard time for everyone who lost her as a light in their lives. Reyna had a huge heart and although we are grieving, she wouldn’t want anyone to be sad for her, she would want everyone to love life and live it to the fullest as she did,” reads an email describing the vigil.
Organizers say they want the community to know this about Reyna:
“Reyna had a level of confidence that most envied. She was never boisterous about herself. She merely attempted to always have a smile and a laugh that intoxicated everyone around her.
She called her younger siblings her kids because she loved them so much and although they were not her children it was hard to tell the difference with the way she talked about them.”
Reyna was shot in the chest on Jan. 27 inside the Smoke Shack, located at 137 East Avenue J in Lancaster. She was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Three days later, Smoke Shack employee Samy Mahmoud was charged with Reyna’s murder. (Read more here.)
Donations are appreciated to help cover the cost of Reyna’s funeral, but are not required in order to attend the vigil, organizers said.
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Roxanne Jimenez says
My darling niece you will always be missed! And thank you all for your comments I have open a fund for her if you’d like to donate anything. The site is called… gofundme please we are in need of help! Thank you all
P-DUB says
HOW WE MISS YOU REYNA YOUR ADOPTED BROTHER
PWEE LOK
dave says
Avtimes ,can you let us no. Where we can make the Donations for Flowers and costs of the Funeral.The Avtimes and Staff go’s out of there way. To help this Community.To help heal families who are affected by sudden loss of life.Thank you all, at the Best Paper in the Valley.The Avtimes and Staff are like the Red cross,There when you need them.Thank you Publisher,editors,writers,and Staff.
dave says
Sorry for your childs death,I dont no her. but she seems like a wonderful young lady,That was loved by all family and friends.And the employer says she was a trusted employee,and well liked.Jesus welcome her to your kingdom with your loving heart,amen
Appreciative says
Thank you so much for posting this info!!