3 killed in Pierce County stabbings remembered for ‘selflessness,’ service
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- Three women killed in Key Peninsula stabbings are remembered for serving their community.
- Two were Gig Harbor Arts Commission members; another volunteered with Visit Gig Harbor.
- The city of Gig Harbor and Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce mourns loss to community.
Those who knew Joanne Kathleen Brandani, 59; Stephanie Killilea, 67; and Louise Sandra Talley, 81, remember them for their kindness and service to their community.
The city of Gig Harbor issued a statement Monday afternoon about two of the victims killed in a mass stabbing Feb. 24 on the Key Peninsula. Brandani and Killilea were volunteer members of the Gig Harbor Arts Commission, a city commission dedicated to supporting the development and awareness of fine arts and performing arts .
“We are devastated by the news of the lives lost last week,” Gig Harbor Mayor Mary Barber wrote in the statement. “We send our deepest condolences to the families.
“We have reached out to the families of our two Arts Commissioners to express our deep sympathies. This loss is one that our whole community feels and leaves a void that reflects the depth of their service. These women were mentors, neighbors, and friends whose kindness and steady leadership made a meaningful difference. They were dedicated champions of the arts, and their service has strengthened our community in lasting ways.
“At this time, we ask that the media respect the families involved and allow them the space to process and grieve.”
A 32-year-old man, Aleksandr Shablykin, is suspected of killing Brandani, Killilea and Talley in a quiet neighborhood near the 14000 block of 87th Avenue Court Northwest. The fourth victim was identified as the suspect’s 52-year-old mother, Zoya Shabliykina. Deputies were en route to the neighborhood after receiving a call about a man suspected of violating a protection order at around 8:41 a.m. when they heard that he was stabbing people in the area at about 9:30 a.m. A deputy fatally shot the 32-year-old suspect at 9:33 a.m., the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said.
City Administrator Katrina Knutson also provided a statement in the news release Monday.
“Learning that two of the victims of last week’s tragedy on the Key Peninsula were Gig Harbor Arts Commissioners was completely heartbreaking news,” she wrote. “Their selflessness, demonstrated in the face of such senseless violence, is a testament to their love for this community and their instinct to serve, even in the most unimaginable circumstances. Our entire community grieves this loss.”
She wrote that the Tacoma Police Department is leading the investigation and expressed gratitude for Gig Harbor Police officers who assisted and continue to provide help as needed.
Resources are available for those who need support following this loss, Knutson added in her statement.
“Anyone can call 9-8-8, text 741-741, or use the treatment finder on Pierce County’s Find Support web page (https://www.piercecountywa.gov/6958/Find-Support),” the statement said. “Asking for support is a sign of strength, and we want to ensure everyone has what they need. For all our community volunteers, please take care of yourselves, and thank you for continuing to show up for each other and for this community.”
Louise Talley was a volunteer with Visit Gig Harbor, the tourism arm of the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce.
“We had the pleasure of meeting Louise when she volunteered at one of our events last year with her close friend from our weekly volunteer group,” Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Miriam Battson wrote in an email Monday. “Even in that short time, her warmth and gracious spirit were evident. Through the stories shared by her friend and others, we know she touched many lives and will be dearly missed.”
Another local resident, Laura Baxter, told The News Tribune in a Facebook message that she attended the same church as Talley. Agnus Dei Lutheran is located just outside Gig Harbor city limits at 10511 Peacock Hill Ave. NW.
Talley “was an active part of our mission, a totally beautiful woman inside and out,” Laura Baxter wrote. “She hosted church events in her home ... . She was quiet and unassuming, open minded and very loving. Our church is one of the most giving churches in our synod. We make kits for the homeless. This is the kind of person she was, family, giving and loving.”
Baxter described Agnus Dei Lutheran as an “open-minded” and “reconciling” church. They support the local food bank, sponsor Food Backpacks 4 Kids (now known as Food 4 All) and ensure that immigrants have food, other necessities and household items, she wrote.
This story was originally published March 2, 2026 at 1:07 PM.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated Miriam Battson’s title. Battson is president and CEO of the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce.
