Heartbreak has taken over a Tustin family after 42-year-old Sandra Fernandez, a devoted mother of three, lost her life in a tragic act that investigators say involved her former boyfriend. Loved ones say Sandra had recently found a new job and was excited about moving forward in life before everything was suddenly taken away.

Police say the suspect fled across the border into Mexico shortly after Sandra was shot, leading authorities on a search that ended one day later when he was detained while trying to re-enter the United States. He has since been arrested and is being held.

Friends and coworkers remember Sandra as someone who worked hard, cared deeply for others, and made people feel welcomed wherever she went. Many are struggling to understand how someone so full of kindness could be gone so suddenly.