Some 250 people attended Fridays candlelight vigil at East Tennessee Riding Club for Erin Renae Heavilin Corwin.
She was an Oak Ridge native who was killed in California, where she had moved with her young Marine Corps husband, Jon Corwin, 21, also of Oak Ridge. She was 19 years old and pregnant.
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Purple balloons and ribbons Corwins favorite color decorated the viewing area and bleachers overlooking the riding arena at the club, where Corwin had spent many hours with her horse, Rye- Leigh.
Many attendees at Fridays vigil wore special T-shirts in Corwins memory saying Support Erin on the front and bearing a biblical verse on the back.
Memories of Corwins days in Oak Ridge flowed easily, along with tears.
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She was very sweet and outgoing and always willing to help people, recalled JP, who met Erin both through church and her days spent at the riding club. This is so sad. Just when she was starting her life, it was taken away.
Corwins love of all animals was fondly remembered. She kept guinea pigs and rabbits at our home, recalled Erins mother, LH (redacted).
LH and her husband, BH (redacted), are the parents of seven children, and five of them, including Erin Corwin, were adopted. Her other adopted siblings have special needs. Its just what God called us to do, LH said.
Corwin was the second child the couple has lost. Another adoptee, TH (redacted), had multiple birth defects and died 11 years ago, just before her 4th birthday.
After Corwin was born, I loved her immediately, said sister TR (redacted). Shes the only child Ive ever known that could get a rabbit to walk on a leash.
Corwins disappearance and the shocking discovery that she was a slaying victim sent her family on an emotional roller-coaster, LH said. Learning that her body was found seven weeks after she disappeared was the worst news, but it was better than no news, she said.
After his wife disappeared, J. Corwin said he was fearing the worst. After her body was discovered, I knew she had gone to a better place, he said.Its been devastating for all of us, said JCs mother, SB (redacted).