Fundraiser held to honor stabbing victim Barbara Killebrew, delivers message about domestic violence



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Barbara Killebrew died from stab wounds suffered during a domestic violence incident earlier this week. Saturday, June 28th community members are keeping her memory alive and telling other victims that they're not alone.

Vanessa Wilder says she needed to draw on her favorite bible verses to make it the fundraiser in Killebrew's honor.

"I was just reading and sharing with her first kings eight and thirty-six," said Wilder. "She was very nice, very friendly. She had a caring heart and I just was thanking God for allowing us to meet."

Wilder says she's a pastor. She and Killebrew were good friends who prayed together and shared their faith with others in the community.

"We was partners he said you go out in the vineyard two by two," said Wilder.

But she didn't know Killebrew had tried to take out a restraining order against the man accused in her death.

"I didn`t know until I heard it on the news, and I was like oh my God did she know that she could have told one of the neighbors if you see him in the neighborhood call the police," said Killebrew.

The fact that so many others may be in similar situations is a point the organizers of the fundraiser are trying to hammer home.

"We need help because it is an epidemic, we need more advocates to get out here to pound the pavement, to really talk to people. We need more support groups and we need people and friends to really listen to their friends when they are telling them about situations that they`re going through, to urge them to get help," said Yahminah Mcintosh, advocate with No More Pain Movement.

Their message is that domestic violence could be in the places you'd least expect.

FOX6 is told that all of the money raised during the fundraiser will help Barbara Killebrew's family with funeral expenses.