Diana Gabaliene: Sleaford Vigil held to remember killed woman

Dozens of people attended the vigil on Sunday night in the centre of Sleaford

A candle-lit vigil has been held in a Lincolnshire town to remember a woman killed in a suspected murder-suicide.

Diana Gabaliene, 33, is believed to have been strangled by Deividas Gabalis, 40, before he killed himself at their home in Sleaford.

Dozens of people attended the vigil on Sunday night, with speakers including friends from a gym Ms Gabaliene attended and a domestic abuse survivor.

Sleaford Women's Safety Group (SWSG) said the entire town had been affected.

Diana Gabaliene is believed to have been strangled by Deividas Gabalis in their Sleaford home

Emergency services were called to George Street shortly after 16:00 BST on 1 May after reports of two people being injured in a house.

Lincolnshire Police said nobody else was being sought over the deaths and they were treating the case as a murder-suicide.

The SWSG-organised vigil on Sunday, held near Sleaford's leisure centre at 20:30 BST, was also attended by friends who had met Ms Gabaliene while she took her three children to and from school.

Councillor Linda Edwards-Shea, mayor of Sleaford, told the crowd she would be organising civic events to raise money for the charity Ending Domestic Abuse Now Lincs.

Speakers who knew Ms Gabaliene addressed the crowds near Sleaford Leisure Centre

More than 280 people have so far donated to an online appeal for the couple's children, raising more than £11,500 in just seven days.

Sarah Watson, SWSG treasurer, said: "For it to happen at midday on a bank holiday, a mother with three young children, it touched everybody and we wanted to bring everyone together.

"Raising awareness of domestic violence was something her family were very insistent was at the forefront of this vigil, but it's also to celebrate Diana, share memories and to have a sense of togetherness."

Sleaford Women's Safety Group, which organised the vigil, said the event celebrated Ms Gabaliene and discussed domestic abuse

Ms Gabaliene worked for a care home in the Holdingham area of the town. Mr Gabalis worked for food manufacturer Moy Park in nearby Anwick.

Helen Austin, also from SWSG, said Ms Gabaliene was "known by a lot of people" in Sleaford.

"Over the last week we've had lots of conversations with people who are shocked, that's the best word," she said.

"We've been remembering Diana, honouring her and have been together as a community."