A former Miss America contestant lost her husband when he was shot dead on Saturday, reportedly in front of their two-year-old son.
Christine Kozlowski Hand, 33, confirmed on Sunday that her spouse Thomas Hand Jr, 37, had been killed the previous night in Montgomery, Alabama, where the couple lives.
She included a link to a local news story saying that Mr Hand had been shot in the presence of a child, appearing to confirm reports that her son Roman had witnessed the killing.
Just two days earlier, the former beauty queen and her husband had celebrated their sixth anniversary and announced that a second child was on the way.
Ms Kozlowski Hand was crowned Miss Mississippi in 2008 and competed in the Miss America beauty pageant the following year at the age of 19, winning a $1,000 scholarship.
In a Facebook post on Sunday evening, she said: “Thank you for all of the thoughts and prayers during this time of the passing of my husband Tommy Hand.
“I feel the love and support from everyone and just wanted to let everyone know that indeed Tommy was shot and killed last night on Texas Street in Montgomery, Alabama.
“I appreciate and welcome all of the messages, I’m just overwhelmed with all the questions and retelling of the details of what happened. I will at later date release more information to explain everything to everyone.”
According to WSFA 12, a TV news station in Montgomery, authorities have arrested 17-year-old Jeremiah Walker and charged him with murder, aggravated by it being in the presence of a child under 14.
A GoFundMe page set up by Ms Kozlowski Hand’s sister to help gather savings for the family had received more than $27,000 (£20,000) in donations as of Wednesday afternoon.
According to every standard in the Free World a MISS is a single woman and this is a married woman so how could she be a MISS America person.
Can you read? 2008 she was MISS A FORMER CONTESTANT IN 2008 – But sadly you are still a moron and that will last forever. Her Husband is dead and you cant read and want to mock the story. Shame on you imbecile
She was a Miss when she was a contestant. She was not married.
She wasn’t married when she won the title. Think!
She was a former Miss America contestant. It is a National beauty contest in America.
She probably married after the pageant!! Just because she was a Miss America contestant doesn’t mean she has to stay single or that she didn’t have a boyfriend back then!
Such a tragedy! These thugs have to be taken
off the streets or none of us are safe. How times
have changed! May God be with this beautiful
lady and her children.