CLEARFIELD – A massive crowd surrounded friends and family members at a candlelight vigil last night at the Clearfield Riverwalk to remember 43-year-old Tammy Lynn Sipe of Hyde, who they lost in a murder-suicide.
The vigil was organized by a friend of Heather Hoover, Sipe’s sister. Friends and family were shown support by a massive crowd of people, some of whom were strangers to them.
“It’s an enormous turn out,” said Hoover. “There are a lot of people I know, but there are also a lot of people I don’t. I am grateful, very grateful.”
The vigil was opened with a word of prayer followed by each individual lighting their candle. Then, they stood in unison and began singing a verse from “Amazing Grace.”
At the close of the vigil, friends and family released sky lanterns, and Hoover thanked everyone for “just being there” in remembrance of her sister and to bring awareness to domestic violence.
According to previously published reports from the state police at Clearfield, troopers were dispatched to a domestic assault involving a couple and a large knife Friday night at a Hillbilly Lane residence in Mineral Springs, Bradford Township.
A witness had observed Donald E. Peters, 46, of Mineral Springs and Sipe in a physical altercation, which involved a knife, in the front yard. It then moved inside of the residence prior to the arrival of troopers. Peters had the knife and stabbed Sipe, who was found when troopers forced entry into the residence, state police said in reports.
Upon making entry, troopers found Sipe inside the front door with multiple stab wounds. Peters was found in another room with a single, self-inflicted stab wound and in possession of the knife. Both Sipe and Peters succumbed to their injuries at the scene, according to state police reports.
“Laws have to change,” Hoover said in a brief interview after the vigil. “If laws change, maybe we could stop a lot of [domestic violence]. You know, she was a great person, mother and sister. She loved four-wheeling and NASCAR racing. She didn’t deserve this.”
