Family and friends of mother and daughter killed in murder-suicide hold vigil and release balloons

Friends and family of Kiera Massenburg and her daughter Zoey Jones gathered Thursday for a balloon release in honor of their lives.

Massenburg and Jones were killed in a murder-suicide in Wilson County on August 11. Authorities said Massenburg's boyfriend, Daquan Jones, shot both of them and two other people before committing suicide.

“I lost my mother to domestic violence, so this hits home for me,” one person said.

While many were grateful to be together Thursday night, many wished Massenburg and Jones would die so this could be possible.

“I'm going to miss everything about her. She was just so sweet,” said Coretta Johnson, Massenburg's aunt. “When you met her, everyone fell in love with her.”

Daquan Jones was released from prison just one day before the Sharpsbug murder-suicide. Many still wonder how Jones, despite his history of domestic violence, could have gotten so close to Massenburg.

“There were warning signs,” Johnson said. “We all tried to help her … she was really scared and it was just something she wanted to get away from.”

Together, family and friends released the balloons and spent the night in mourning, keeping one message in mind: Watch for signs of abuse.