photo by: Contributed

Jina Anne Reyes

Family members and friends of a Lawrence woman who was killed on Friday will be holding a gathering this weekend to remember her and have started a fundraiser to help with funeral expenses, the Journal-World has learned.

A statement emailed to the Journal-World by someone close to the family said that the woman who died was 35-year-old Jina Anne Reyes. She was a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, it said, and she had two children, a daughter and a son.

The statement said Reyes was artistically talented and aspired to become a tattoo artist, and that she also was an avid lover of martial arts.

“She truly embodied life and enjoying being here in the moment, wore her heart on her sleeve and befriended everyone,” the statement read.

As of 7:30 p.m. Saturday, police had still not released any information about the victim of Friday morning’s homicide, other than that she was a 35-year-old Lawrence resident who knew the suspect. As the Journal-World reported, police were called to the 1800 block of Massachusetts Street at 7:22 a.m. Friday and found the victim, who appeared to have been stabbed multiple times.

Police later arrested a suspect, whom they identified as Aaron Blake Wright. Douglas County Jail booking records listed Wright’s address as the Lawrence Community Shelter, 3655 E. 25th St.

The statement about Reyes’ death said a gathering was planned on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 1 p.m. at the fire circle west of the Haskell Indian Nations University auditorium. “All are welcome to come together, share blessings, and offer positive thoughts as Jina begins her journey to the spirit world,” it read.

The family has also created a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses. That can be found at gofundme.com/f/help-us-honor-jinas-memory