LINDON, Utah, Dec. 30, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — The family of Katie Peralta, the 23-year-old wife and mother shot to death by her husband in the parking lot of ARUP Laboratories on the University of Utah campus Thursday, is speaking out about their daughter’s death.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, family members revealed their daughter had recently separated from her husband and had planned to go through with a divorce in January.
Police say Katie’s husband, Richard Peralta, 25, shot and killed his wife late Thursday afternoon after confronting her in a campus parking lot. He then turned the gun on himself.
The couple first met back in 2009 and was married in the fall of 2012. They had a son in the fall of 2015.
The family’s statement is as follows:
“Our family is heartbroken as we mourn the loss of our beloved Katie through this senseless act of domestic violence. She was a kindhearted and gentle person, loved for her genuine and soft-spoken nature. Katie was deeply devoted to her young son and was seeking to give him a wonderful future.
“Katie’s bravery and conviction to provide the best situation for her child was always evident, and she had recently confided to us that she was leaving the marriage to protect herself and her son. She had loved her husband and had tried for years to strengthen their marriage through counseling and other means, but they had recently separated. We believe that the dispute arose because she had informed Richard that she would be proceeding with a divorce in January.
“We love Katie, we miss Katie, and her loss will be felt for many years to come. We greatly appreciate the outpouring of support and prayers from friends, family and the community during this tragic time.”
