Virginia teen Serenity Hawley is shot dead by her ex-boyfriend in a gruesome murder-suicide just weeks after filing for a restraining order
A teenage girl was allegedly killed in a murder-suicide by her ‘violent’ ex-boyfriend two days before her 18th birthday after she requested a restraining order.
Serenity Hawley, 17, of Blacksburg, Virginia, was shot and killed in a suspected murder-suicide just days before she would have turned 18.
The high school student had filed for a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend Croney Monk two weeks earlier, because her ex was allegedly harassing and blackmailing her.
Monk allegedly shot Hawley in the chest before turning the gun on himself Tuesday, the teen girl’s family said 10 News.
Her heartbreaking death was discovered when the bodies of both teens were found in Hawley’s car in a parking lot. Roanoke Times reported.
Serenity Hawley, 17, of Blacksburg, Virginia, was shot and killed in a suspected murder-suicide just days before she would have turned 18
The high school student had requested a restraining order from her ex-boyfriend Croney Monk (photo) two weeks earlier, because her ex allegedly harassed and blackmailed her.
Serenity’s father claimed his family – including his daughter’s four siblings – were ‘heartbroken’ by the tragic incident, saying: ‘I couldn’t have asked for a better child’ (Picture: A memorial for Serenity)
Blacksburg police said their officers responded to a report of a suspicious car in a parking lot on University City Boulevard — where they found the dead teens.
Serenity’s father John Hawley, 49, identified his daughter as one of the deceased youths.
He said his daughter had just been accepted to Virginia Tech – a university in their hometown of Blacksburg – which she was “so excited” about.
Hawley was found sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Her ex-boyfriend – a varsity football player at Blacksburg High School – allegedly entered the vehicle and shot her before shooting himself.
Serenity’s father claimed his family – including his daughter’s four siblings – are “heartbroken” by the tragic incident, saying: “I couldn’t have asked for a better child.”
The 17-year-old was intimidated by her ex-boyfriend, according to her father, who said she kept Monk’s harassment a secret from her family.
Her father said, “She got the full rainbow of experience. We didn’t know that. She didn’t tell us that.
“But we found out today that, yes, he would walk in the hallways in front of her and make his presence known, and just do other things.
“He was on social media all the time. He blackmailed her and told her he would show her this and that. Those are not the things children should be doing.’
Hawley was found sitting in the driver’s seat of the vehicle. Her ex-boyfriend – a varsity football player at Blacksburg High School – allegedly entered the vehicle and shot her before shooting himself
Serenity’s father said his daughter had just been accepted to Virginia Tech — a college in their hometown of Blacksburg — which she was “so excited” about
The family said they will use some of the Gofundme money for her funeral arrangements and plan to set up a scholarship in Serenity’s memory.
Hawley’s mother Heather Waldron (pictured) said her daughter’s death is the ‘nightmare you can’t wake up from’
The 17-year-old was intimidated by her ex-boyfriend – according to her father, who said she kept Monk’s harassment a secret from her family
Hawley’s stepmother – Katherine Hawley – claims that there are “a lot of things we discovered in retrospect that we wish we had known.”
“Violence in any form, especially domestic violence, is serious,” the stepmother said.
Hawley’s mother Heather Waldron said her daughter’s death is the “nightmare you can’t wake up from.”
The Montgomery County Public Schools district released a statement saying, “First and foremost in our thoughts are the families and loved ones of the two children who lost their lives.
“We are deeply saddened by this loss and are doing our best as a community to cope with the devastating impact.”
A Gofundme was organized by the Hawley family, which has now raised $21,495.
The family said they will use some of the money for her funeral arrangements and plan to establish a scholarship in Serenity’s memory.