Two Friends Remembered After Erie Tragedy
Friends and family in Erie, Pennsylvania, are honoring two women whose final moments were defined by courage and love. Lora Roberts and Twila Tanner went to a home because they believed someone inside needed their help. They never came back. Their families have since shared how the two friends spent their last hours, and why they felt compelled to go in the first place.
Their loss is part of a much larger heartbreak. Nine people were killed in a mass shooting in Erie on October 9. As the investigation unfolded, a picture emerged of two women who stepped forward in a moment of fear and uncertainty to protect someone else. For many who knew them, that act summed up who they were.
Roberts, 37, was a devoted mother of five and had been engaged to her longtime partner for 14 years. Tanner, 51, was a mother and grandmother whose family describes her as someone who could always be counted on. Both women are now being remembered not only for what happened but for the kindness they showed throughout their lives.
In the days since, loved ones have also revealed the deeply personal reason the friends were at the home that day. Their decision was not random. It was intentional, rooted in concern for a loved one they believed was in danger.
A smiling Lora Roberts appears in a close-up selfie taken before her passing. Friends remembered the 37-year-old mother as a warm, generous person whose kindness touched many. | Source: Facebook/MattThibodeau
A Mother of Five Whose Kindness Reached Far Beyond Home
In the aftermath of the tragedy, online fundraisers have helped tell the stories of those who were lost. Two of those pages, created for Lora Roberts and Twila Tanner, identify the women as close friends and explain how they came to be at the home in Erie on the day of the shooting.
Roberts’ fundraiser describes a loving mother, daughter, fiancée, relative, and friend. She leaves behind five children and her fiancé, Jeremy. The page, created to help with funeral expenses and to support her children, had collected $11,166 toward a $15,000 goal when the figures were gathered. The donations are intended to help ease the immediate financial burden during an unimaginably difficult time.
Roberts’ compassion also extended into her community. In a tribute shared on social media, friends noted that she had served on the Board of Directors for Community of Caring, an Erie nonprofit that provides food and shelter to people experiencing homelessness. It was a reflection of her nature, they said—someone who paid attention to the needs of others and looked for ways to help.
Lora Roberts, 37, shares a tender moment with a young girl in a smiling selfie. She was among the nine victims in the October 9 Erie, Pennsylvania, shooting. | Source: Facebook/MattThibodeau
Friends Remember Lora as a Gentle, Giving Soul
As news of Roberts’ passing spread, tributes poured in from people who had known her for years. Many described her as a calming, positive presence who made time for others even when life was busy with work and family.
In a family photo, Roberts poses affectionately with a loved one. She leaves behind her longtime fiancé, Jeremy, and their five children. | Source: Facebook/MattThibodeau
One friend, MaryAnn Aviles-Lewis, called Roberts a “beautiful soul” and offered prayers for her family, especially for her children. Another, Shannon Roschi, reflected on the many lives Roberts touched—at home, at work, and among the people she cared for. Their words, shared openly and from the heart, echoed a common theme: Roberts was steady, kind, and deeply loved.
Even in the small glimpses left on her public social media profile, friends said, you can still see the bright, everyday moments she prioritized—smiles with her kids, time with her fiancé, and reminders of the good she tried to do for others.
Roberts beams alongside four of her five children in a warm family photo. Her loved ones say her greatest joy was being a mom. | Source: Facebook/MattThibodeau
Twila Tanner’s Family Faces the Unimaginable
For the family of 51-year-old Twila Tanner, the loss is just as profound. Her children and grandchildren are now grieving a woman they relied on for guidance, comfort, and the sense of steadiness that she brought to their lives. A fundraiser created on her behalf had raised $2,068 toward a $10,000 goal when the figures were collected, with donations earmarked to help with funeral costs and care for her children.
Her niece, Alissa Sue, shared a heartbreaking message on social media, explaining that the family was reeling. She asked for prayers, not only for her own relatives but also for the many other families affected. In her words, the shock and sadness felt almost too heavy to describe, yet she still reached out with compassion to others mourning the same night.
Twila Tanner, 51, shares a tender moment with a young girl in a family photo. Loved ones say she was the kind of person who stepped up whenever someone needed help. | Source: Facebook/AlissaSue
“Last night we lost my aunt Twila due to the tragic shooting that happened last night. May she rest in peace,” Alissa wrote, asking for strength for the cousins who had lost their mom. She also extended love and prayers to the families of the other victims, including a pregnant mother and two young children whose deaths stunned the community.
As friends and relatives pieced together what had happened, one detail about Roberts and Tanner stood out. It helps explain why they had gone to the home, and why they went together.
Tanner smiles with three young children in a cherished photo. Her family highlights both her love for them and her courage in difficult moments. | Source: Facebook/AlissaSue
A Brave Choice in Their Final Hours
According to the fundraisers created by their families, Roberts and Tanner went to the home because they believed a loved one was in danger. Roberts’ page explains that she went there to help rescue her niece from an abusive man. Tanner, who understood the risks, refused to let her friend handle it alone. She insisted on going with her.
What followed was a tragedy too large to put into simple words. But their families say the way the two women chose to act—together, with courage and care—captures who they were. They did not run from a hard situation. They tried to protect someone smaller and more vulnerable than themselves.
Roberts, at far left, is pictured with friends during a happier time. According to her family, she went to the Erie home to help her niece escape an abusive situation. | Source: Facebook/maryann.lewis3
Tanner’s fundraiser describes her actions that day as courageous and selfless. Reports that drew on both fundraisers indicate that the two friends arrived at the residence together with the same mission in mind: to help ensure a young woman’s safety.
For their loved ones, that is how they want them remembered. Not just for how their lives ended, but for the brave decision they made to stand up for someone else.
At far right, Roberts smiles alongside two friends. Loved ones say her kindness and willingness to help left a lasting mark. | Source: Facebook/maryann.lewis3
What Police Found at the Erie Home
Authorities were first alerted shortly before 5 p.m. on October 9 by the city’s ShotSpotter system, which detects gunfire. Officers responded to a residence at 722 Perry Street in Erie. Inside and around the property, they discovered a devastating scene.
Nine victims were killed. The suspected gunman, 45, was also found dead at the home from what investigators determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A .40-caliber handgun registered to the suspect was recovered on his person. According to police, eight of the victims were members of the same family. The ninth was a friend of the family.
A quiet residential street in Erie, Pennsylvania, is seen from a front porch, offering a glimpse of the neighborhood where the tragedy unfolded. | Source: YouTube/ CBS Pittsburgh
Among those who died were a five-year-old boy, a 22-month-old girl, a 24-year-old woman, a 44-year-old woman, a 19-year-old man, and a 21-year-old man. Investigators later explained that everyone found inside the residence lived there. Roberts and Tanner did not.
One of the most heartbreaking details was that the 24-year-old woman was eight months pregnant. The scale and intimacy of the loss left seasoned investigators and first responders deeply shaken.
What Investigators Are Still Working to Understand
Police have been reviewing surveillance footage, audio evidence, and witness statements, and planned to examine the cellphones of Roberts and Tanner to better understand what they knew before arriving. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah suggested the friends likely had reason to believe something was wrong at the home, even though they did not contact authorities beforehand. “They must have known that something was going on,” he said. “They didn’t contact us, so we don’t know what that is yet.”
From the start, because eight of the nine victims were related, investigators considered the case a domestic incident. Even so, the question of what pushed the suspected shooter to such terrible violence remains unanswered. As Chief Lorah noted, it may be too early for a single, clear motive.
Police Chief Rick Lorah speaks to reporters after the shooting, calling the scene one of the most difficult he has encountered. | Source: YouTube/Erie News Now
An Eerie Silence and a Careful, Measured Response
When officers reached the home, the gunfire had already stopped. There were no sounds from within—no voices or movement—leaving responders with an agonizing uncertainty about what they might find. “No movement. No audible sounds coming from inside the residence. No gunshots. No screams,” Chief Lorah said.
Out of concern for anyone who might still be in danger, police sent in drones to assess the situation while SWAT officers prepared to breach several doors. A robot was used first and identified multiple victims, allowing officers to enter more safely. Investigators later determined that all nine victims and the suspected gunman were already deceased before police arrived.
The details are grim, and the impact is lasting. In more than 28 years on the force, Chief Lorah suggested it was among the worst scenes he had ever encountered.
Chief Lorah provides additional details at a briefing, noting that seven of the eight related victims were connected to the suspected shooter, while the remaining victim was a family friend. | Source: YouTube/Erie News Now
A Young Mother, Her Two Children, and an Unborn Baby Lost
As authorities worked to notify families, loved ones began to identify some of the victims and share their stories. Among them was 24-year-old Angelina Stone, who was eight months pregnant. Fox News reported that Stone and her two young children died in the shooting. A fundraiser created to help with funeral expenses named the children as Isiah and Amari’anna. Stone’s unborn baby had already been given the name Kyrie.
Grieving father Josiah Alexander Ezekiel speaks about the loss of his daughter, Amari’anna Renee Windham. | Source: YouTube/@ErieNewsNow
The organizer of the fundraiser explained that the family had no savings set aside for such unexpected costs and only a short time to make arrangements. At the time the figures were collected, the page had raised $34,667 toward a $40,000 goal, with donations intended to go directly to Amari’anna’s father to help cover expenses.
Family members and friends gather outside a home as the community begins to process the scale of the loss. | Source: YouTube/@ErieNewsNow
“She Was Just Days Away”
Further details about Stone’s pregnancy added to the heartbreak. According to CBS Pittsburgh and Erie News Now, she was just days from giving birth. Lisa Simmers, whose family is connected to the victims, shared how excited everyone had been for the baby’s arrival. The reality that a young mom, her two children, and an unborn baby were all taken at once is a wound that will take a long time to heal.
“She was pregnant, about to have her baby in a couple days,” Simmers said, recalling that the children were “beautiful” and did not deserve what happened. Her words echo what so many feel right now—an overwhelming sadness that words can barely carry.
Those who knew the family emphasized the simple, everyday love that filled their lives—the routines, the laughter, the hopes for the near future. All of it was cut short in a matter of minutes.
Lisa Simmers reflects on the young mother and her children, sharing grief that has touched families across Erie. | Source: YouTube/@ErieNewsNow
A Father’s Grief, Shared in His Own Words
For Josiah Alexander Ezekiel, the loss of his little girl, Amari’anna, is still impossible to grasp. Speaking publicly, he struggled to convey the depth of his pain. “My baby, bro, and you just took her,” he said. A moment later, he spoke tenderly of the child he will always love: “Her name is Amari’anna Renee Windham, y’all. You know, she—she’s the most beautifulest baby I could have created.”
Ezekiel also shared that he had been dealing with depression and had survived a violent incident in Erie in late 2022. Another father, Julius Windham, captured a similar feeling of disbelief at a community memorial. “Words can’t even explain what I’m going through right now,” he said, adding that he needed to stay strong for his family and community.
Messages of Support from State and City Leaders
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro reached out to Erie Mayor Daria Devlin, offering the support of his administration. In a message shared publicly, he wrote that his heart breaks for the family, adding that he and his wife were praying for their loved ones and for the entire Erie community.
Two women speak with a reporter outside a home, describing a night that friends and neighbors can’t forget. | Source: YouTube/ CBS Pittsburgh
At a news conference, Mayor Devlin stood with Chief Lorah and Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz to address the investigation and speak directly to families. “I want to start by speaking directly to the families who lost loved ones last night. I am so deeply sorry,” she said. Friends who had known the family for decades told reporters the same thing many in Erie now feel: disbelief that something so terrible could happen to people they cared about.
Nicole and Debra Eller, who had known the family for more than 30 years, described them as “lovely” and said they were still trying to understand the horror that unfolded steps from where so many ordinary days had begun.
A family friend speaks softly to a reporter outside a brick house, trying to put words to the shock of losing a pregnant mother and two small children. | Source: YouTube/ CBS Pittsburgh
How Loved Ones Hope Lora and Twila Will Be Remembered
As investigators continue their work, the families of Lora Roberts and Twila Tanner want people to know who they were beyond the headlines. Roberts was a mother of five, engaged to her longtime partner, and a former board member of a local nonprofit that supports people facing homelessness. Tanner was a devoted mother and grandmother whose children and grandchildren will carry her love forward in the years to come.
Most of all, their loved ones want to honor the choice the friends made in their final hours. Roberts went to help her niece escape harm. Tanner chose to stand beside her friend. Together, they set out to protect someone in need. It was an act of love and bravery—one that speaks to their character and the values they lived by. Their families hope that, in time, that legacy will shine brighter than the darkness of the day they were taken.
We do not support or promote any kind of violence, self-harm, or abusive behavior. Sharing these stories can help raise awareness so that people in danger know they are not alone, can seek support, and can find paths to safety. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact local authorities. If you or a loved one is experiencing abuse, consider reaching out to a trusted healthcare provider, a counselor, or a local support organization for guidance and resources.
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