Gabrielle, who had Down syndrome, and Dawna Roe, 51, of Caldwell, Idaho, are believed to have been shot to death in a car on a ranch near Drewsey, Oregon. The pair were found in a remote location in a 2004 Toyota minivan by horrified workers at the scene. The mother and daughter went missing on June 30 after telling friends and family they were going camping. Dawna had quit her job and was reportedly being investigated by CPS when they took off. Authorities have been searching desperately for the couple for the past week after their trip – which relatives said was “out of character” – but found only their bodies. Gabrielle, who had Down syndrome, and Dawna Roe, 51, of Caldwell, Idaho, are believed to have been shot to death in a car on a ranch near Drewsey, Oregon. Mother and daughter went missing on June 30 after telling friends and family they were going camping The pair were found at a remote location in a 2004 Toyota minivan by horrified site workers “Preliminary information indicates that this appears to be a homicide by shooting,” Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram told KTVB. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office said “no other individuals are being sought at this time.” Autopsy and toxicology reports are still pending. Her daughter Rebekah Roe said before the news of their deaths: “My younger sister is 17 years old, she has Down syndrome, she is mentally 6-7 years old. My mother has serious mental health issues. “My mother was being investigated by CPS and decided to pack herself and my sister up for a ‘camping trip’ after suddenly quitting her job. He did not bring their SSI cards. The bodies of Dawna Roe, 51, center, and her 16-year-old daughter, Gabby, seen right and left, were found in Dawna’s vehicle near Drewsey, Oregon. Daughter Dawna Roe said her mother struggled with mental illness throughout her life Gabrielle Roe is also said to have Down syndrome ”He doesn’t have any camping equipment that I know of. In the past she has made threats to hurt my sister and then herself. “No one has heard from them in a week. I believe my sister is in grave danger.’ Another daughter Mariah Villesca wrote: “Gabby has a genuine and pure soul. “She always exuded contagious joy wherever she went, and everyone who met our girl will forever remember her palpable and unfiltered love. “My mother battled and eventually succumbed to mental illness, and Gabby was also a victim of that illness. “I will miss this. I will miss her smiles, her laughter, her pure, unfiltered love,” Villesca added.
Sister Mariah Villesca holds her Gabby in a Facebook photo from her page years ago “My mum adored Gabby, she absolutely loved her. My mom had six children and Gabrielle was the favorite. “So many people thought this would never happen because of how much my mum loved Gabby. So many people didn’t hear how serious things were. “If someone is sick, you know, they can seem lucid. You don’t know what’s going on in their mind,” he explained. “Gabrielle, our name is Gabby. He was insolent. She was smart. He was witty. She had the purest heart,” Villesca said in tribute to her sister. A GoFundMe has been set up to raise money to pay for funeral expenses and has so far managed to raise $11,000. For confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255
