Mother of Va. lacrosse player praises victim
May 11th, 2010 by Bilal Ali
The mother of a former University of Virginia lacrosse player charged with killing a member of the women’s team described the victim Tuesday as a “sweet wonderful young woman with a limitless future.”
Marta Murphy’s son, George Huguely, is charged with first degree murder in the killing of women’s lacrosse player Yeardley Love. Love’s battered body was found in her off-campus apartment May 3.
In her first public statement, Murphy said it had been “difficult to remain silent during this dark tumultuous time.”
“Though my pain is great, it will never come close to the anguish felt by the Love family,” Murphy said in an e-mailed statement. “Along with my family, I am devastated and confused. We are all trying to understand and cope as best we can.”
Love’s roommate and another friend found her face down in a pool of blood, her face bruised and her right eye swollen shut. Huguely told police he kicked in Love’s bedroom door, shook her and her head hit a wall several times. His attorney, Francis Lawrence, called Love’s death an accident but has declined to comment further. Huguely remains in custody with no bond allowed.
Huguely told police they had been in a relationship that had ended recently. Both were 22 year old seniors at the university.
Charlottesville police are investigating whether there had been previous altercations between the two, including one report that they argued at a bar the day before Love was found dead.
Murphy said her family was close to Love and that she had met Love’s mother. She said that as a person of faith, she was praying for Love’s family and for her own son.
“Also as a mother, I hope that people can understand that both George’s father and I love our son,” she said. “We will support George in whatever way we can — just as any mother or father would do for their child.”
She asked that the public allow her family to grieve in private.
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