Earlier this month, Sandra Roskilly celebrated an incredible milestone -- a 200-pound weight loss. A little more than a week later, Roskilly, 47, was dead -- allegedly shot by Daniel Abeyta, her neighbor, who is also said to have wounded another woman (presumably his wife) before being gunned down by police before he could set off a homemade explosive device. He's reportedly in critical condition.
Sandra Roskilly's Facebook page makes it clear that she loved her family -- she reportedly had an autistic son, and she was close to her brother, Dennis Campbell, and his kin -- as well as dogs. Here's an example of the latter:
The pic above is from a couple of years ago, as is this one: But she recently underwent a personal transformation. This image was shared on August 4 along with the caption, "Sandra Roskilly celebrating 200 pound weight loss at Pat Benatar Concert:" Now, unfortunately, the celebration has been replaced by mourning, as indicated by the following tweet, sent out by the Denver Police Department on August 16:BREAKING: ACTIVE SHOOTER 2200 block S. Irving St.
— Denver Police Dept (@DenverPolice) August 16, 2013
Police arrived to a chaotic scene. A man subsequently identified as Daniel Abeyta is said to have shot two women, then ramped up the danger via explosives described in a DPD tweet like so:
When cops closed in, Abeyta apparently tried to set off this rig by shooting at it. Before he could succeed at creating a fireball, police pulled triggers, taking him down. He was transported to an area hospital, where he was in critical condition at last report.UPDATE: CHief White confirms incendiary devices are propane tanks with gunpowder, possible grenade, multiple devices in area
— Denver Police Dept (@DenverPolice) August 16, 2013
Although the Denver coroner's office hasn't issued an official ID in regard to Roskilly, her family has stepped forward to say she was the person killed by Abeyta. The other woman (she's still alive) appears to be Abeyta's wife, who was hit by a bullet in the leg, 7News reports.
His wife had been the target of violent behavior in the past. As revealed by 9News, Abeyta's record showed a 2003 matter in which he'd threatened her with a knife.What set off these deadly events? A neighbor who spoke with 7News noted that there had been tension between Roskilly and Abeyta over an incredibly mundane dispute: He's said to have been unhappy that her rose bushes intruded on his property. But her brother speculated to 9News that his sister had tried to intervene on behalf of Abeyta's wife, who she'd comforted after abusive situations in the past, and paid for her kindness with her life.
Those interested in helping out can contribute to the Sandra Roskilly Fund at Citywide Banks; call 303-365-3773 for more details. In the meantime, our condolences to her friends, family and loved ones.
Look below to see 7News coverage and (update) the booking photo of Daniel Abeyta.
More from our Mile High Murder archive: "Billy Otto charged with killing teens who tried blackmailing him with unseemly video (8, 9)."