A young scientist was killed last weekend but her family is making sure her legacy leaves a lasting impact.
A memorial outside of Alyssa Rose Wiest's home shows just how loved she is.
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WATCH HERE"She was adventurous, she was goofy, she was fun and then she was serious. All that wrapped up in one person. She was perfect," her father, Kurt Wiest, told NBC10.
Alyssa, 25, was a microbiologist and a graduate from the University of Delaware. Her parents said that their daughter was just starting to blossom into greatness.
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SIGN UP "We always assumed she was going to be our future CEO. That she was going to run the world. That girl was unstoppable and perfect. Truly," her mother, Nicole Levine Wiest, said.
But, Alyssa's life was cut short on Sunday, May 18, when she was found on a sidewalk outside of her home with multiple gunshot wounds.
"We’re so grateful for the love and support that we’ve gotten its just none of it feels real yet," her mom said.
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According to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, Alyssa was running away from the gun shots which had started inside her home on the 200 block of Moorehead Avenue.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
Investigators also found a suitcase packed with men's clothing.
The D.A's office said that her boyfriend of two years, 26-year-old Michael Dutkiewicz, was arrested and charged for her death.
As the Wiest's continue to grieve the loss of their youngest child, they are determined to keep her memory alive with a scholarship.
"We wanted to create the Alyssa Rose STEM Scholarship to be able to carry on her name forever and give girls the opportunity to enjoy STEM as much as she did," her mother said.
The Wiest's created a GoFundMe page to jumpstart the scholarship fund.
Alyssa's funeral is scheduled for Friday, May 23.
The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports that 119 victims died because of domestic violence last year with 54% being killed by a current, or former, intimate partner.
