'She deserved a long and beautiful life': Teacher, victim of homicide, remembered
PORT ST. LUCIE – As police released more details in a recent murder-suicide case, a teacher said to have been killed in the incident was remembered as a loyal friend who loved children.
Amanda Hicks also was a “Florida girl,” who loved anything involving the water, said Luciana Haskas, 28, of Port St. Lucie.
“She inspired me to do things and try things I had never done,” said Haskas, who said she was close with Hicks.
Hicks was the victim of a homicide in Port St. Lucie last weekend, according to the Martin County School District.
She was a reading teacher at Dr. David L. Anderson Middle School in Stuart since 2019, according to Jennifer DeShazo, director of public information and community relations with the Martin County School District.
Hicks was a summer reporting intern at TCPalm in 2016 while a journalism student at Florida Atlantic University.
Port St. Lucie police have stated that at 11:45 a.m. May 27 they went to the 5500 block of Northwest East Torino Parkway for a welfare check. Investigators heard an infant inside crying, and forced their way in after noticing through a sliding door what appeared to be dead people on the floor.
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They determined a 25-year-old man stabbed his 26-year-old fiancée then shot himself.
Police declined to identify those who died, citing Marsy’s Law. Introduced in memory of a young woman murdered by her ex-boyfriend, Marsy’s Law was created to offer crime victims a slate of rights, including protecting them and their families from harassment by their attackers. Some law enforcement officials have interpreted the statute as applying to any victim, as well as to law enforcement officers being entitled to privacy and having their identity protected.
Kristy Chase, a fellow reading teacher at Anderson middle school situated off Southeast Cove Road, described Hicks as “a dedicated employee and loyal friend.”
“She was always the first to sign up to help, especially if it was something for the students,” Chase stated. “She loved art; she has a beautiful mural in the sixth grade building that will continue to be a tribute to her.”
Police said it appears the 25-year-old man tried to call a family member repeatedly about 11:50 p.m. May 26. Nearby video surveillance about 12:47 a.m. detected a gunshot.
A family member of the man couldn’t reach him, which prompted a welfare check.
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Investigators determined the 10-month-old had been left in her crib about 11 hours before officers forced their way inside. The unharmed infant is now with a family member, according to police.
“We were her chosen family at (Anderson middle school) and we celebrated her beginning her own with the birth of her daughter,” Chase stated. “For her young age, she faced so much, but it never made her heart hard. She deserved a long and beautiful life.”
Efforts this week to reach family members of Hicks for comment were unsuccessful.
Haskas said she met Hicks in third grade, attending Savanna Ridge Elementary School off Lennard Road in Port St. Lucie. Haskas said she considered Hicks like her sister. She said Hicks and the man who shot her were the parents of the infant found by police crying in the apartment.
She said they drifted apart but reconnected with the emergence of Myspace. Myspace was the most popular social network from 2005 to 2008, according to information on Britannica.com.
“And then we just never left each other's side since,” Haskas said. “She just brought so much love and joy.”
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on Twitter @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Homicide victim Amanda Hicks, a teacher in Stuart, remembered
