Vigil held mourning Ann Arbor community activist murdered inside home

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - Update (4/15/2023): Ann Arbor Police confirm they have a 54-year-old man from Ann Arbor in custody. He will be arraigned on charges of open murder, home invasion 1st degree and assault with intent to commit sexual penetration.

"She touched a lot of people’s lives here, she was such a fantastic person," said Peter Smith.

Her name was Jude Walton.

"She just accepted you for who you were, she was kind, generous," said Catherine Christmas.

Described as a remarkable person — the 51-year-old Ann Arbor woman was found murdered in her Chapin Street residence on Thursday. Her killer broke a window to get inside.

"We’re all in shock about this, this is really crazy," Smith said,

Friday night — friends gathered at the park across the street to honor Jude— who many call a pillar in the community.

"I think that’s a little hard for me to be right across the street from where she lived but it’s symbolic," said friend Lisa Jackson. "And I hope that she’s able to see us and see how much she was loved."

Everyone had a story.

"Jude and I immediately hit it off," said David Yates. "Kind of like a kindred sister to me here in the states, we had a very similar upbringing in the UK.

"It was just instant kismet you know, when you know somebody," said Christmas. "And out of that had blossomed a 19-year friendship. She came into my life after my sister died, and she became the older sister that I never had."

"She was a wonderful artist, devoted herself to making some beautiful photographs," Smith said.

"She was the best person I’ve ever known," Christmas said.

Investigators are not commenting on a possible motive — and while an autopsy has been completed, they aren’t revealing how Jude was murdered.

So far no one has been charged with the horrific crime.