ORANGE, Texas — Family members of a couple murdered in 2021 held a balloon release to mark the one year anniversary of their deaths.
Family and friends of Aaliyah Gradnigo, 18, and Thalamus Livings, 23, gathered at the Claybar Cemetery in Orange. The young couple was murdered in late January of 2021.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this article contained incorrect information which has been corrected.)
The person who is accused of their deaths is 25-year-old Manka Melson. Melson was charged with two counts of capital murder and is currently being held in the Orange County Jail.
Melson has yet to stand trial.
Orange Mayor Larry Spears attended the release and gave the family a proclamation stating that September 4 would be Aaliyah Paris Gradnigo Day in the city of Orange.
The couple was found early Saturday Jan. 23, 2021 morning. Orange Police were called to the 2300 block of Coronado Place in reference to a shooting, according to a previous Orange Police Department release.
Responding officers found Livings and Gradnigo suffering from gunshot wounds. Livings was pronounced dead at the scene, and Gradnigo was taken to a nearby hospital where she later died as a result of her injury.
Melson was arrested by Orange Police in late April of 2021, according to file stories. Melson was taken into custody in Jefferson County without incident.
Melson is currently being held in the Orange County Jail on a more than $2 million bond. The motive for the incident is still unclear.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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