A GoFundMe has been launched and a beachside vigil is planned for a mother and grandmother who was shot and killed by her ex-boyfriend in a Ponte Vedra Beach double homicide last week.
The fundraiser, created by her brother Jeremy Hackward, honors Melissa Wood, who family members described as a caring and compassionate person devoted to helping others.
In the post, Hackward said his sister “never judged anyone and would help a stranger even if she wasn’t in a place to do so herself.”
Her shocking death, he said, has left several generations devastated.
“Melissa was gunned down and shot to death by an insecure, jealous ex-boyfriend,” he wrote. “She left behind two kids, had just become a grandma barely a year ago, and leaves our mother and me grieving her loss.”
Donations are being collected to help cover funeral expenses and manage financial obligations following her death.
A vigil is scheduled for Friday evening at Mickler’s Landing, where friends, family and community members are expected to gather to remember Wood and show support for her loved ones.
Authorities allege that 32-year-old Christian Joseph Barrios tracked her to a Walgreens along State Road A1A in Ponte Vedra Beach Friday night, where she was in a vehicle with another man.
Investigators say Barrios arrived at the location in the back seat of a vehicle, got out “frantically,” and approached the car before firing multiple shots.
Both Wood, of Jacksonville Beach, and the man were killed at the scene. Detectives recovered .380-caliber shell casings and later used cellphone data to track Barrios’ movements.
Authorities say Barrios fled to the grounds of TPC Sawgrass, where his phone was found discarded.
Soon after the shootings, Barrios allegedly broke into a nearby home while the occupants slept and stole a BMW X3, leaving behind the clothes he had been wearing.
Deputies later located the vehicle in Nassau County early Saturday morning, leading to a pursuit that ended when the SUV was disabled using a PIT maneuver. Barrios then fled on foot before he was captured.
He faces two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, along with additional charges including burglary, grand theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Authorities said he was on probation at the time and has more than 20 prior arrests.
“She may be gone for now, but we’re trying to make sure she’s never forgotten,” Wood’s brother wrote. “We love you, Melissa. Watch over us, and we’ll see you again someday
