GLENDALE, Ariz. — A Valley woman who was found dead just one day before she was set to walk the stage to get her master's degree is being remembered as someone family and friends could always depend on.
“She was just a beautiful soul," MaKaila Clemmons, Monet Newton's best friend, said. “We literally could just look at each other and read each other’s minds. She was genuinely like a sister to me."
Newton, 24, was found dead in her apartment Tuesday, allegedly shot and killed by Chase Cooper, a man investigators said she had a brief relationship with before he turned the gun on himself.
At her young age, Newton had earned two bachelor's degrees and had just completed a master's program at Grand Canyon University—the same place Newton and Clemmons grew from freshman-year roommates to best friends.
“She’d be working and I was supposed to be doing homework. Sometimes we wouldn’t be doing either one of those things. We’d just be talking about random things and just laughing. I miss her laugh already," Clemmons said.
Newton's loved ones were preparing to celebrate her success at a commencement ceremony this week. Her family arrived at the airport on Tuesday, but Newton was not there to pick them up as planned.
That's when Clemmons found Newton dead in her apartment.
Newton and Cooper's brief romantic relationship ended just days before their deaths, according to investigators.
“She had so much life left to live," Clemmons said.
Clemmons said Newton had big career goals, but even more, she wanted to help people.
“She was so sweet, so nice, so caring and attentive to everyone and all their feelings," Clemmons said.
Clemmons said she hopes Newton's loving demeanor will carry on in her legacy.
“Everyone loved her. You could always depend on her. She was there for you no matter what," Clemmons said.
A friend created a GoFundMe page to help Newton's family pay for memorial expenses. Click here to donate.
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