Family of woman killed by Tinder date says their lives are ‘forever changed’ by ‘senseless’ crime

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    LAYTON, Utah (KSL) — The family of a woman police say was killed by a man she met on Tinder Saturday night called the crime “senseless” and that their lives have been forever changed by it.

Layton Police Department identified the victim as 25-year-old Ashlyn Black, of Layton.

“A monster has taken away the life of our little girl in a crime as senseless as it was evil,” members of her family said in a prepared statement Monday night delivered through a spokesperson. “Our hearts are broken and our lives are forever changed due to the despicable acts of another person.

“In just a few senseless and selfish minutes, a life of an amazing, fun-loving young woman was taken, one who had a passion for being the voice of those who could not speak out for themselves,” the statement continued. “And a gift for working with those who have special needs. The lives of her friends and family are permanently altered. No time can fill the emptiness we feel, and the hole it has left in our hearts. We ask for privacy as we grieve and mourn our loss.”

Black’s body was discovered in a home near 1300 N. Reid Ave. with multiple stab wounds to the torso, according to a news release from the Layton Police Department on Sunday.

The discovery came after Ethan Hunsaker, 24, called the police department at approximately 3:19 a.m. and claimed to have killed Black in his home 10 minutes earlier.

Hunsaker told police he met Black on Tinder on Saturday night. According to a probable cause statement filed by police, the two began communicating about 9 p.m. Saturday.

Hunsaker picked the woman up from her home and went to a Layton bar together. After a short time, they went back to Hunsaker’s home, police said.

Marks on Hunsaker’s arms, neck and shoulders were consistent with his statements to police that he had woken up beside Black and began choking her; Black fought back, police said. Hunsaker admitted to then walking to his kitchen, obtaining a kitchen knife, and returning to the bedroom to stab Black multiple times in the chest, side and back, police said.

“Despite efforts to revive the victim, she was pronounced deceased on scene,” police said on Sunday.

According to Hunsaker, the Saturday night date was normal and without argument, police said. Hunsaker has a history of mental health problems and told police he has “daily thoughts” of suicidal and homicidal ideation, officials said.

Hunsaker was in custody and to be booked into the Davis County Jail on suspicion of murder.

As police continue to investigate Black’s death, the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition say they are disturbed by the amount of victim-blaming in the case.

“This is in no way the victim’s fault and it’s important to remind people of that,” said Liz Sollis, spokesperson for the group. “It doesn’t matter how the victim met the perpetrator or where or when. The decision to commit the violent act was that of the perpetrator.”

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