This morning, the Colorado Springs Police Department formally identified the woman who died in an October 16 homicide as 32-year-old Fawn Christine Gianes.
However, the victim's sister, Krystal Wielichowski, asked KRDO-TV in the Springs to refer to her by her maiden name and put the word "Gianes" in parentheses.
"She's a Wielichowski," Krystal told the station from her home in Missouri, adding, "That man murdered her,"
"That man" is Nikoas Gianes, Fawn's husband. He's been arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder.
KVOR.com identifies Nikoas as a onetime El Paso County sheriff's deputy, and that seems to be confirmed by his Linkedin page, which also references a military background, as seen in the following screen capture.
There are plenty of other images of Nikoas and Fawn on her Facebook page, which remains online at this writing.
Here's one example.....
...as well as a shot of the couple with their family, which we're sharing since the children are seen from the back, thereby disguising their identities.
Unfortunately, such idyllic imagery appears to have hidden some dark secrets.
"There has been suspicion of abuse, there have been prior incidents, but none to this extent," Krystal told KRDO, adding that when she heard the news about the shooting, "it was numbing, I thought it was a cruel joke. I didn't know what was happening. I hit the floor."
What took place?
At around 7:31 p.m. on Friday the 16th, according to the CSPD, officers were dispatched to a home on the 5300 block of Babcock Place on a report of shots fired.
Upon their arrival, they found a woman later identified as Fawn. She was dead from an apparent gunshot wound.
Nikoas was taken into custody shortly thereafter.
He is being held without bond in the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center.
In the meantime, a GoFundMe page has been launched under the title "Bring Fawn Wielichowski Home." The introduction reads:
Fawn Christine Wielichowski was a loving mother of 2 beautiful children. She brought great joy to many of us with her fun loving attitude and her ability to make us laugh. She was tragically taken from us in a way that no one ever should be. She will be missed by her family and friends and her memory will live on within us. Please help us bring her home.At this writing, just over $1,500 has been pledged toward a goal of $2,500. For more information, click here.
Any donations are greatly appreciated. Donations would be used for creamation and funeral cost. Travel to CO and back. Any extra funds will be used to assist her children with living arrangments.
We are so thankful for everything!
In the meantime, our sincere condolences to the friends, family and loved ones of Fawn Wielichowski.
Look below to see Nikoas Gianes's booking photo.
