KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Monday, family and friends honored the life of a young woman, Danishka Melina Sibaja Mejía, killed in Knoxville. They gathered in the place where she grew up — Costa Rica.
The Knoxville Police Department said her body was found at a South Knoxville home on April 5. She attended Carter High School and played volleyball there for around three years, according to her former coach. Mejía's loved ones also said she had a smile that lit up every room. Her family traveled from Tennessee to Costa Rica to be at her celebration of life.
Video shared by her friends and family showed a procession in her honor, as well as memorials set up in her honor featuring photos from throughout her life. Some attendees also wore shirts that said "#JusticeFor Tita."
KPD said three people are facing felony murder charges in relation to Mejía's death, and a fourth person is facing charges for tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact. The police department also said Mejía's cause of death was not immediately clear, but said it was likely she did not die from a gunshot.
"This was truly a heinous crime," Noel said during the press conference. "All officers and detectives immediately identified the urgency and complexity of this situation."
