Friend remembers Bay Area woman stabbed to death in Hillsborough County
Friends remember murder victim
Friends are remembering a woman one week after she was brutally murdered inside her home. FOX 13's Danielle Zulkosky reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Friends are mourning the loss of a Tampa engineer after her boyfriend was arrested for stabbing her to death last Friday in Hillsborough County.
Tragic Hillsborough County murder
The backstory:
Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies said that Kyle Sanchez is accused of stabbing his girlfriend, Amanda Roark, 15 times last Friday. During a court hearing this week, prosecutors played a recorded emergency call where Sanchez admitted to the killing.
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet confirmed a motive for the attack or provided details regarding what led up to the stabbing.
Pictured: Kyle Sanchez during a court appearance in Hillsborough County.
Who was Amanda Roark?
What they're saying:
Her college friend Talia Landman described her as an absolute light who welcomed everyone with a gigantic smile.
"She was taken from us in such a horrific, tragic, and just, I mean, terrible, scary way," Landman said.
Roark was a talented engineer who passionately mentored young women pursuing careers in math, technology and engineering. Her friend believed her brilliance could have landed her on future NASA missions to the moon within the next decade.
Landman feels a profound calling to speak out and ensure the world remembers Roark for her vibrant joy rather than her tragic death. Meanwhile, her loved ones face a long emotional journey of processing the sudden loss.
"He didn't just kill or murder his girlfriend. He took away Amanda Rourke," Landman said. "He took her life as this woman who had so much going for her."
"It's really hard for people to wrap their heads around," Landman said. "I think we'll be processing this for a long time."
Honoring a cherished teammate
Local perspective:
Roark worked at Tampa-based technology organization SOFWERX, which released a statement on Monday:
"We are heartbroken by the loss of our Teammate Amanda Roark.
Amanda was a cherished member of the SOFWERX family and a light in the Tampa community. Her warmth, her dedication, and the genuine care she brought to everyone around her made a lasting impact that words cannot fully capture.
Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, her loved ones, and all who had the privilege of knowing her.
We ask that her family's privacy be honored during this time."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, who detailed the arrest, as well as Hillsborough County court proceedings and an interview conducted by FOX 13 reporter Danielle Zulkosky with Talia Landman.