News 12 at 6 o'clock; October 6, 2008

COLUMBIA, S.C. --- Tonight, victims of domestic abuse are speaking out to make sure it never happens to you.

Family members of 34-year-old Alecia Arangilin and her daughter Jade say there were signs something might be wrong, but they never thought it would come to this. Investigators say Alecia's husband shot and killed them both, in their sleep, then turned the gun on himself. The double-murder suicide happening on Pickens Street in Edgefield, this month last year.

This morning, Tanya Sullivan, Alecia's sister, stood in Columbia for the state's Silent Victim Ceremony remembering those who lost their lives to domestic violence in 2007.

"Their lives changed forever and in 1 week, I had lost an entire family," says Tanya.

One by one, silhouette's coming together to tell a tragic story. A remembrance of the 32 lives lost to domestic violence in South Carolina last year.

"I owe them this," says Tanya. She's remembering her sister, Alecia and niece Jade killed in Edgefield Co. last year. The South Carolina Attorney General's Office asked her to be the keynote speaker this year.

"I never want my sister Alecia and Jade to be forgotten and if I can make a difference and save one life in their name, then it's worth it," says Tanya.

Alecia's now 16-year-old daughter Joree held her mom's silhouette.

"When I wake up in the morning, it hits me like a ton of bricks," says Tanya. "Oh my God, my sister and niece are really dead. It can happen to any family, anytime."

That's why she's in Columbia, standing tall, telling people there are ways out.

"Stick with your family. Encourage them to get help and never give up on them," says Tonya. "Because you don't understand what they're going through. They feel trapped. They feel like there's no way out."

"You don't know what surreal is, until you're thrown into something like this," says Tanya.

Surreal, but sobering as the family and others join together to support and to remember.

"If one life can be saved in the name of Alecia and Jade, then they did not die in vain," says Tanya.

There was a 33rd silhouette that was brought out on Monday to remember those unknown victims of domestic abuse.