(NECN: Julie Loncich, Westboro, Mass.) - Hundreds of people paid tribute Saturday evening to a University of New Hampshire student who was missing for days just hours after the search came to a tragic end.
A man was charged with Elizabeth 'Lizzi' Marriott's murder on Saturday, but the focus on Saturday night was remembering a young life lost too soon.
Through grief most of us will be fortunate enough never to know, Lizzi Marriott's father huddled in the warm glow of candlelight and in the warmth of prayers from hundreds around him in his hometown of Westboro, Mass.
"I want to thank everyone for so many things," Bob Marriott said at the vigil. "The most important is for helping Lizzi turn into the most amazing person."
Many attending the vigil had stories of the young woman.
"The girl was just an absolute doll," said family friend Greg Rota. "Sweetheart, nice kid and you know, we're all at a loss. I mean, the town of Westboro is not as good as it was without her. That simple."
"Just a fantastic girl, too bad horrible things happen to great people like her," said Bob Atwood, also a family friend.
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Missing for nearly five days, New Hampshire authorities confirmed the worst on Saturday that the 19-year-old student had been murdered, allegedly by 29-year-old Seth Mazzaglia. Authorities say he is charged with second degree murder after an exhaustive search of his Dover, N.H. apartment.
"We are aware that they knew each other," said James Vara, New Hampshire's Assistant Attorney General.
Lizzi was last seen and heard from on Tuesday night. She had told family and friends she planned to meet up with friends in Dover after class, but she never made it. Although authorities believe they have her killer, they still don't have her body. Authorities searched the area of Peirce Island in Portsmouth, N.H. throughout the night Friday and into Saturday, but wouldn't confirm if Mazzaglia told them where to look.
"Together we created an angel, and she is home in heaven," her father Bob said at the vigil.
Authorities rather abruptly concluded their search in the Portsmouth area around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, but wouldn't confirm whether they found anything. It is still very unclear what the connection is between Marriott and Mazzaglia, even though the Assistant Attorney General alluded to one on Saturday afternoon. When asked, her friends and family where not aware of one, so a motive is still very much up in the air.
