Gig Harbor community gathers for candlelight vigil to honor four women killed in Key Peninsula domestic violence tragedy

A community vigil was held in Gig Harbor to honor Zoya Shabliykina and three neighbors killed during a domestic violence incident on Feb. 24.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 5, 2026, 4:42 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from FOX 13 Seattle

A Community United in Grief

The waterfront at Skansie Brothers Park became a place of solemn reflection on Wednesday night as the Gig Harbor community sought to process a level of violence rarely seen in the quiet Key Peninsula area. Around 100 people attended a candlelight vigil to mourn four women who lost their lives in a brutal stabbing incident last week. The gathering served as a space for friends, family, and neighbors to lean on one another, with memorial boards displaying photos of the victims as attendees shared stories of their impact on the local community.

The Victims of the Key Peninsula Tragedy

The primary victim of the February 24 attack was Zoya Shabliykina, a woman described by friends as caring and friendly. Investigators state she was killed by her 32 year old son, Aleksandr Shablykin. The tragedy deepened when three of Zoya's neighbors—Stephanie Killilea, Joanne Brandani, and Louise Tally—were fatally stabbed while heroically attempting to intervene and help during the domestic violence incident. Killilea and Brandani were prominent members of the Gig Harbor Arts Commission, while Tally, a woman in her 80s, was a dedicated volunteer with the local chamber of commerce.

Messages of Light and Healing

Gig Harbor Mayor Mary Barber addressed the crowd, emphasizing that the community gathered in love to honor "four beautiful lives that were taken far too soon." She noted that the women mattered deeply to the region because of their kindness and their willingness to give of themselves for the benefit of others. Gary Rudd, a chaplain for the Gig Harbor Fire and Police Departments, led the group in prayer and encouraged the lighting of candles as a symbolic gesture that light can eventually overcome the darkness brought by such a traumatic event.