One by one candles, a symbol of remembrance, shared in honor of Jennifer Pautenis Thursday night at a Granbury park.
"She's a great person,” close friend Jaime Burns said. “A great mom, a great person, always happy. Always smiling."
But that smile, that was only 29 years old, went missing back in October.
Friends and people who didn't even know her, like Tiffany Davis, joined together forming search parties to look for her.
"Because she's a mother like me,” searcher Tiffany Davis said. “I would hope someone would step up and do it for me."
Their search is over now that Jennifer’s husband has been arrested for murder and tampering with evidence after remains were found believed to be Jennifer's.
The Hood County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday Edward Pautenis, 59, is in custody for the October disappearance of his wife.
He was arrested by deputies and Texas Rangers Wednesday in Granbury and held in the Hood County Jail.
"I'm devastated,” Burns said. “You hope for different of course."
As the sun sets over their vigil, their spirits remain uplifted knowing Jennifer can rest in peace.
"Feels like all our hard work has paid off,” Davis said. “It's not the outcome we wanted but at least the family can have some sort of peace now."
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The remains must be sent to a forensic lab for identification, the sheriff's office said.
"I’m glad to see this case move forward. My investigators have worked non-stop since Jennifer was reported missing and my hope is, we give Jennifer’s family some type of closure on this terrible tragedy," said Sheriff Roger Deeds.
Sheriff's deputies and the Texas Rangers are investigating.
