Hundreds of friends and family members of a 19-year-old stabbing victim killed gathered at Coe Park in Torrington Sunday night for a vigil to honor her memory and share happy memories.
Just before 7 p.m., young people on bikes made their way to Coe Park to attend the vigil for Holly Aeschlimann, 19, of Torrington, who was stabbed multiple times Friday morning while she was riding her bike near a street corner a short distance away.
"She was the kindest girl I ever knew," Heidi Hilton, Aeschlimann's friend said.
Many in the large crowd wore pink and there were pink baloons and bows at the vigil, all favorites of the teenage victim.
"She had over a hundred bows. She loved bows. Bows, bows, bows," Thomas Farr, Aeschlimann's cousin, said.
Those who knew Aeschlimann spoke of her infectious spirit. Through their tears, they remembered her smile.
"You could feel the happiness from it," Farr said.
Aeschlimann's friend, Phillip McLellan said "she always brightened everybody's day."
"She's gonna be missed," Hilton said.
Local
Police received a disturbance call at 1:12 a.m. on Friday in the area of Prospect and Hungerford streets, responded and learned from a passerby that Aeschlimann had been injured and that a passerby took her to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. Friends told NBC Connecticut that Aeschlimann was riding her bike in the area when she was attacked by another young woman with an axe to grind and a knife in her possession. Authorities later learned she died from her injuries, police said.
Police identified Aeslchlimann's suspected killer as Heather Birden, 20, also of Torrington. Officers haven't charged her yet in the stabbing, but have applied for an arrest warrant and are waiting for it to be signed by a judge.
Birden remains behind bars charged with an unrelated assault. She was arraigned Friday in Bantam Superior Court for an active arrest warrant issued by the Winchester Police Department for an unrelated case from Aug. 7. She was charged with assault in the second degree, reckless endangerment and breach of peace in that case. Friends said that the other case also involved a stabbing, but that is not confirmed with police. Birden is also being charged with violation of probation.
Multiple people who spoke with NBC Connecticut indicated that there was bad blood between the victim and the suspect and police said there's been an ongoing history between them.
"They were out here yelling there was quite a commotion out here," Robert Chatfield, of Torrington, said.
Family and friends also gathered Friday afternoon to share fond memories.
"My heart's broken. For her family...and Holly," Linda Kijonka, a family friend said.
Farr took a selfie with Aschlimann just hours before she was stabbed to death at the corner of Prospect and Hungerford Streets in her home town of Torrington.
"She was very close to me. She was like my baby sister, we did everything together," Farr said.
While friends aren't sure how or when the feud between the victim and suspect started, they said the two had scuffled about a year ago.
"I guess she was trying to get back at her for something that happened, that she started," Farr said.
Their latest dispute was apparently about a man, according to friends.
"I know that Heather liked the guy, but I know that Holly was just hanging out with him," Maddie Brown, another friend of Aeschlimann's said.
Three friends were with Aeschlimann at the hospital, Brown said.
The investigation in the stabbing is ongoing and the Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad is assisting.
No additional information has been released.
There was an impromptu gathering on Friday night in Aeschlimann's memory and there was an organized vigil on Sunday at 7 p.m. in Torrington.
