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Easthampton resident Natalie Graves was killed while hiking with her aunt as the suspect was fleeing an earlier murder, authorities say.
Natalie Graves Natalie Graves via AP
An Easthampton woman killed while hiking in Utah last week is being remembered for her dedication to the arts and helping others, as a fundraiser launched to support her husband nears its goal.
Natalie Graves, 34, was one of three women killed in what authorities described as a multi-state triple homicide that began in southern Utah.
Graves and her aunt, Linda Dewey, 65, of Torrey, Utah, were found dead near a trailhead in Wayne County on March 4, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety.
The suspect, who has since been arrested, allegedly killed another woman earlier that day before stealing her vehicle and driving to the trailhead where Graves and Dewey were hiking. Officials said there is currently no evidence that Graves and Dewey knew the suspect or the first victim.
Graves, who lived in Easthampton with her husband, Taylor Graves, was born in Salt Lake City, according to her obituary. She began dancing at age 5 and later attended the University of Utah, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in modern dance, as well as Master of Business Administration and Master of Healthcare Administration degrees.
She also worked at the Huntsman Cancer Institute as a member of the cancer clinical trials team, the obituary states.
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After meeting while students, Natalie and Taylor Graves were together for 16 years and moved to Easthampton, where Natalie later served as a board member of the Northampton Arts Council, according to the obituary.
A GoFundMe organized by co-worker Joseph Kolchinsky aims to help Taylor Graves manage expenses related to his wife’s death and the settlement of her estate, according to the campaign description.
As of Wednesday, the fundraiser had raised more than $38,000 — about 96% of its goal.
“For those who knew them, it was clear that Taylor and Natalie shared a rare and profound bond,” Kolchinsky wrote in the campaign description. “To lose a partner who was truly his ‘everything’ is an incomprehensible tragedy, and our hearts go out to Taylor, his family, and everyone affected by this senseless act of violence.”
Family members of Graves and Dewey released a statement Friday, KSL.com reported.
“Our family is dealing with the shock of the devastating loss of two members of our family who were bonding over the beauty of a hike in one of their favorite places on Earth — cherished by them and the community, considered to be a safe sanctuary,” the family said.
They described Graves as “joy, sunshine and beauty embodied.”
“We need time to mourn, love each other and be with our family and friends,” the family said. “We are at a loss for words that can describe what we are feeling and cannot publicly express our sadness and devastation at this time.”
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