The family of Jane Payton is remembering her as a hard working, independent person. 

“She was very loving, the girl had three jobs to try to support herself…and she loved her family above all else,” Susan Honel said about her late sister. 

“Jane [liked] to be self-supportive, she did a lot of gardening…really good cook,” Jay Honel said about his sister-in-law.

The 57-year-old lived for her two children and her grandchild and was especially close to one of her older siblings Susan.

“She was very loved by a lot of people…she was just Jane,” Susan said. 

Police believe Jane was killed by her ex-boyfriend Andrew Reedy on the morning of Dec. 20. Reedy had just been evicted from their home on Lucy Street in Masury and was trying to force his way back in after Jane locked the doors.

Susan had been talking to Jane on the phone that morning. The two had an agreement where Jane would always answer so they knew she was okay. When Susan wasn’t getting through to Jane she rushed down to her house. When she saw the police cars and learned no one was answering the door she instantly had a bad feeling.

“I chose to help my little sister every way I could because I loved her dearly and still do,” Susan said.

Police found Jane dead from a single gunshot in the house but Reedy refused to come out. Jane's family waited in the cold for hours at that scene after they got the news she was killed. Reedy shot himself in the face in the home but survived. After 22 hours he surrendered to police and was charged with murder.

“There is no sympathy, there is very much hatred. There's a lot of emotion about him because he is still alive and she is not,” Susan said. “It was just a really senseless act of violence on his part.”

Susan and Jay said they knew Reedy had problems with alcohol. In 2023, Reedy was charged with a DUI but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. Jane’s family said they tried to get Reedy help multiple times to no avail.

What happened that day is something they never thought Reedy would do to his long time girlfriend.

“He said that he would never hurt my sister. He said that to me and she believed that too,” Susan said. 

Now, the family is coming together to remember “the baby of the family” as they wait for Reedy to be brought to court.

“I’m looking forward to the consequences of his actions for him and I’m looking for justice for my sister,” Susan said.

As of Monday, Reedy was still under medical care and had not been arraigned.