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October 22, 2012

Hundreds turn out to mourn homicide victim

Christin Coyne CNHI

WEATHERFORD — Family and friends of Linda Surginer Preston packed her memorial service Friday afternoon at North Side Baptist Church to pay their respects and remember the 47-year-old woman found dead in her home last week in an apparent violent homicide.

The mother of two and grandmother of three is believed to have been killed by Hector Trejo, a prison parolee, after she refused to let him use her car, according to Parker County sheriff’s authorities.

Preston was found dead in her living room in the 1600 block of Wildwood Trail on Oct. 11 with multiple stab and cut wounds to her neck and throat.

Trejo was arrested on a capital murder charge the following day and remains in the Parker County Jail without bond.  

Patrick Preston, Linda Preston’s husband of nearly two years, told the gathered crowd Friday that he’d never met a better or more honest giver.

Though his wife said she did not want a big “to do” made of her life, the packed room was doing otherwise, Preston said.

His wife fought a debilitating illness the last year of her life but he didn’t want to remember Linda like that, Preston said.

Instead he remembers was a loving person she was, he said.

His wife was a Christian and he is confident she’s in heaven now, Preston said.

“You’ve definitely got an angel watching over you,” Preston said.

Barney Ellis, who married the couple, spoke of how the community was trying to make sense of her death.

“We’re all trying to understand and comprehend why Linda was taken from us the way she was,” Ellis said.

Her thyroid illness had already taken some happiness from what should have been the happiest time of her life with a new husband, career and grand children, Ellis said.

It was obvious that Preston’s family and friends cared deeply for her and Preston appreciated the flowers her husband brought her, the meals delivered by her family and her friends helping her with daily chores, Ellis said.

“It’s tragic that Linda had to suffer the consequence of the choice made by someone else,” Ellis said.

However, Preston is now experiencing everlasting life, according to Ellis.

Ellis also urged her family and friends to think about forgiveness in the days ahead as they begin the healing process.

Justice through the justice system will help allow for forgiveness, he said.

“Forgiveness is not an easy thing to do but nothing of great value is easy,” Ellis said.

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