Vigil held for Temple nursing student allegedly killed by boyfriend in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Family and friends of 20-year-old Milan Jones gathered in Philadelphia on Friday night to remember the Temple nursing student and celebrate her life.
Jones was found dead from blunt force trauma inside a North Philadelphia apartment last Saturday morning.
Philadelphia police said a dispute between Jones and her boyfriend, 21-year-old Tymir Lackey, turned physical, leading to her death. Police called her death a domestic homicide.
Lackey, a fellow Temple student, was arrested and now faces murder charges.
In a parking lot at 74th Street and Ogontz Avenue, Jones' family and friends came together on Friday evening for a balloon release.
"Being around this many people that care about her, I feel like I miss her," Kyle Armstrong, Jones' older brother, said. "I want her right here."
Action News spoke with Armstrong and Angel Ramos, another brother of Jones.
They both described her as talented, intelligent and kind. Her brothers said they are trying to process that their younger sister is gone.
READ MORE: Temple University student charged with killing nursing student in North Philadelphia
"People depend on people and choose people for love, protection, security. The person she chose was the exact opposite," Armstrong said.
"Domestic violence is not ok," Ramos told Action News. "If you're strong enough to hit someone, you're strong enough to hold back."
As Jones' family prepares for her funeral, Lackey prepares to answer to charges in connection with her death.
Jones was heading into her third year as a Temple nursing student. Her brothers said she wanted to be a travel nurse and to eventually work in pediatrics.
Armstrong said his sister had a bright future ahead of her.
"She was very brilliant. I remember at one of her graduations, I'm holding all the awards she got. She had all these awards, and I'm just so proud to be big her brother," he said.
Memorial services for Jones will happen early next week in Philadelphia.
A viewing is scheduled for Monday night and Tuesday morning at the Emmanuel Johnson Funeral Home in East Mt. Airy, with a funeral mass to follow on Tuesday morning at St. Helena Church in Olney.
