CARLISLE, Pa. — A vigil was held Saturday evening to honor the memory of Sydney Parmelee and Kaylee Lyons, who were both murdered by Davone Anderson, the father of their children.
Both Parmelee and Lyons were 23, and graduated Carlisle High School together in 2014. Parmelee was studying to become a nurse, and Lyons worked at an elementary school.
Lyons was six weeks pregnant when she was killed, police said.
Friends and family spoke at the vigil, expressing their grief.
“You are my confidant, my rock and soul. You made me and my life better,” said Kalia Stallings, Parmelee’s longtime friend.
Friends of the two women organized the vigil, which also included a candlelight walk to the house where both were murdered.
“You can't put it into words,” said Nicole Lopez, an organizer.
“Two women at the start of their lives with young babies,” added Kennedy Jirard, another organizer and close friend of Lyons. “Like, who could have ever envisioned that this was going to happen?”
The event also served to raise awareness about domestic violence. Across the country, domestic violence hotlines receive 20,000 calls a day, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV).
“Unfortunately our culture continues to be one where violence against women and children is all too commonplace,” said Corinne Bennett, direct services supervisor at Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties.
Family and friends of the two women said during the vigil they hoped the women’s lives would remind others to support those affected by domestic violence.
“I will always hold this regret of not reaching out more and digging deeper,” said Brittany Parmelee, Sydney’s older sister.
Davone Anderson, 25, was charged Aug. 10 with multiple felonies, among them two counts of first-degree murder. According to court documents, Anderson admitted he killed Parmelee on July 5 because he believed she had been unfaithful, and later killed Lyons because he was afraid she would turn him in.