More than £30,000 has been raised to bring home the body of a mother-of-one from Co Louth after she was killed in an apparent murder-suicide in New York.
The GoFundMe page was set up for the family of Denise Morgan (39) who died in the early hours of Saturday.
Alan Whyte, organiser of the fundraiser, said she was a "loving mother, caring sister and beautiful daughter" and "her love for life was contagious".
“The news of her murder sent shock waves through our hearts, leaving a void that will never be filled," a statement on the page said.
"The circumstances surrounding her murder only serve to deepen the tragedy, reminding us of the fragility of life and the need to come together in times of darkness.”
Within just two days, £31,201 had been donated to the page, which organisers said were "much needed funds to cover the expensive costs of bringing Denise safely back home to Ireland".
"This is where we, as a community, have the power to make a difference," the statement added.
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Irish woman Denise Morgan (39) shot dead in New York
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Ms Morgan, who was originally from the village of Tullyallen, was found dead at a home in the Glendale area of Queens.
The New York Police Department said 911 dispatchers were alerted to a disturbance at the scene and when officers arrived they found a man and a woman unresponsive with gunshot wounds.
“Emergency services responded to the location and pronounced the 39-year-old woman and the 33-year-old man dead at the scene,’ the statement added.
“A firearm was recovered in the vicinity of the deceased male."
A verified GoFundMe has been started in memory of Denise Morgan after she was shot in a suspected murder in New Yorkhttps://t.co/XsDzEV3inD pic.twitter.com/AN9mJ75rvw
— GoFundMeUK (@GoFundMeUK) October 24, 2023
Ms Morgan is believed to have moved to New York around five years ago and is survived by a nine-year-old daughter.
Her sister Shannon wrote on social media: “No words can express the pain we are dealing with.
"In the blink of an eyelid, our world is broken and we are absolutely crushed. My brilliant sister has been taken from my life by such a heinous cowardly act. We will never get justice for this.
"We are absolutely heartbroken.
"She was the kindest, sweetest soul I know.”
The death notice read: "Denise Morgan, Glendale, Queens, New York and formerly of Lavin Park, Tullyallen, Co. Louth. 21st October 2023. Suddenly and tragically in New York. Denise, sadly missed by her heartbroken family, mam Deirdre, dad Noel, daughter Mollie and Mollie’s dad Larry, sisters Lisa and Shannon, brother John, nieces Kayleigh and Roisin, nephew Kayden, aunts, uncles, extended family, relatives and friends."
