Vigil held for Saline woman in ambush murder near assisted living facility

Woman killed in Saline ambush remembered during vigil

Family and friends gathered in Saline to remember a 40-year-old woman who was ambushed and killed last week while walking out of her work.

SALINE, Mich. (FOX 2) - Amber Thomas is being remembered this week not for how she died, but for how she lived. The young woman was murdered in a brutal double-shooting last week as she left her work at an assisted living facility in Saline.

Her coworkers gathered on Monday to honor the 40-year-old woman who was killed last week. Her ex-boyfriend, Barry Garza, was arraigned on murder charges on Saturday.

Saline Police Chief Marlene Radzik was inside Linden Square Assisted Living Facility for the candlelight vigil, held at the same facility where Thomas worked.

She had just stepped out and was crossing the street with a colleague when police said Garza ambushed her and killed her. Her colleague was also shot, police said.

"I thought it was a beautiful remembrance and celebration of her life," Radzik said. "It's still lingering when you heart them talk about hope and I think that's what we need right now is hope that this small comm where normally this doesn't happen can heal together."

Amber Thomas, 40, was killed in Saline when police said she was ambushed last week.

On Saturday, during Garza's arraignment, we learned that he made multiple statements when he was arrested.

"Made terrible statements on the scene like I’m not sorry I killed that….." said Washtenaw County assistant prosecutor Jessica Blanch.

MORE: Woman had personal protection order against man charged with murdering her

"It's horrific and it was so unnecessary and sad even for the first responding officers this is something that will stay with us forever," Radzik said.

Thomas was believed to have been doing everything right to get away from Garza, who has a history of assault and domestic violence convictions. That included a personal protection order filed a week before her murder.

She leaves behind a son and a loving family, who were too upset to speak publicly.

"The message is clear is that if this can happen in a place like saline it can happen anywhere," said Saline Mayor Brian Marl.