LAS VEGAS — After the stabbings along the Las Vegas Strip that killed two people and wounded six on Thursday, the Clark County, Nevada, coroner's office has identified and released the cause of death of two of the victims.
According to a report from KLSA in Las Vegas, one of the victims was Spokane native 30-years-old Maris Mareen DiGiovanni, who died from a stab wound to the chest. The manner of her death and the other victim were both ruled as homicides.
The family shared the following statement on social media where they talked about Mareen's growing up in Spokane:
"It is with great sadness that we say goodbye and see you later to my amazing little sister. Maris was a victim of the horrific random stabbing of 8 people in Las Vegas today. Please pray for our family and her husband. We appreciate the space to grieve in the coming days and know she touched your lives as she did ours.
Maris loved the beauty of life and lived it to fullest without limitations. She was an authentic and caring friend, a devoted wife, a kick-ass sister, and a loving daughter.
Growing up in Spokane, WA, she enjoyed sledding and making snowmen in the winter, and watching sunsets in the summer.
She graduated WSU in 2014 and pursued traveling the world. Making friends and leaving ripples of love, Maris and her husband Cole made their way through dozens of countries. Their adventures led them all over Europe, Asia, while eventually calling Hong Kong home.
Considering her passion for concerts and festivals, the obvious next home base was Las Vegas. Always opening their doors for friends and family, Maris was always the life of any gathering.
Maris always saw the best in people, always gave them a chance, and always accepted people for who they were. Her huge capacity for love lead her to have lasting friendships from all over the world. She was a beautiful spirit and soul, and we will miss her for the rest of our lives."
The family of Maris created a GoFundMe fundraiser where they are trying to raise money to pay for Maris's funeral expenses.
Background information:
An attacker with a large kitchen knife killed two people and wounded six others in stabbings along the Las Vegas Strip before he was arrested Thursday, police said.z
Three people were hospitalized in critical condition, and another three were in stable condition, according to Las Vegas police, who said they began receiving 911 calls about the stabbings around 11:40 a.m. across the street from the Wynn casino and hotel as reported by the Associated Press.
The suspect was identified as 32-years-old Yoni Barrios, who was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, as reported by the Associate Press.
Barrios, who is not a Las Vegas resident, was detained by Sands security guards and Metropolitan Police officers while running on a Strip sidewalk, police said.
Police said they continued investigating the motive but did not believe there was an altercation before the attacks.
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