NEWPORT NEWS, Va — On Aug. 3, 2023, Tahesha Saunders, a Newport News mom was murdered.
One year later, her family is still waiting for justice.
For more than 365 days, Monica Saunders, the mother of Tahesha says she's lived with a broken heart.
Watch: Grieving family of Newport News mother holds vigil as police continue to investigate her shooting
"There is not a day that passes by that she isn't on my mind," said Saunders.
She says something that might help ease her pain is seeing her daughter's killer behind bars.
Last year, police found the 35-year-old mom with a gunshot wound to her head.
Her boyfriend, Ronald Lashawn Brown, was arrested and charged with her murder.
Watch: Newport News police arrest, charge man with murder of girlfriend
Leading up to her death, Saunders believes her daughter was being abused.
The same year Tahesha died, there were more than 6,000 calls for help in Virginia made to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. This equated to a 27% increase from the previous year.
"Last of July that's when it all came out with the abuse, running up on her, hitting her, and telling the kids what he was going to do to her," explained Saunders. "She was going through a lot, but she kept it to herself because she didn't want to hurt me."
The family is hoping that a judge finds Brown guilty.
Watch: Grieving mom of Newport News domestic violence victim speaks out
"He (Brown) has to pay for what he had done and it was a bad thing that he did to Tahesha," said Saunders.
According to court documents we obtained from Newport News court, Brown's mental health is being evaluated.
Experts are determining if he is capable of standing trial. Those documents say a hearing is scheduled for November 22, 2024.
News 3 contacted Brown's lawyer, who declined to comment.
