Family Of East Tulsa Shooting Victim 'Trying To Understand'

Monday, October 6th 2014, 11:05 pm

By: Tess Maune

A Tulsa family is planning a young woman's funeral after she was killed in what's believed to be a crime of passion.

Police said Joshua Silkey murdered Griselda Gallardo during the middle of her shift at an east Tulsa Papa John's. Detectives said Silkey later drove out to the woods and shot himself.



10/6/2014 Related Story: Papa John's Murder Suspect Found Dead Of Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

Gallardo's pastor, Oswaldo Gramillo of Igelsia Apostolica Del Nombre De Jesuscristo, said the family is trying to understand why.

The pastor of the church where Gallardo spent many Sundays with her family said they had heard of Silkey, and what they knew had them worried.

She was the sweetest person you could ever meet, that's what friends said about Gallardo.

"You would feel her sincerity and her love,” Gramillo said.

Through a translator, he said Gallardo's top priority was her family.

“For Griselda, the most important thing was her dad, her family,” Gramillo said.

After her family, her next love was her job. The pastor said Gallardo's work ethic was preparing her for a bright future.

"Her specialty, she wanted to have a shoe shop, sell shoes. That was her dream,” Gramillo said.

That dream, and many others will never be now because Gallardo was gunned down in the middle of her shift at Papa John's.

It was at work that her pastor said Gallardo met Silkey.

The two went out once, but her Gramillo said Gallardo wasn't interested; but friends said Silkey wouldn't take no for an answer, which was concerning for Griselda's family.

“They were worried about that situation,” said Gramillo.

The pastor said the family never imagined Silkey's crush would turn into a crime.

He believes the motive was likely, "if Silkey couldn't have Griselda, nobody could."

“But you know love and obsession,” Gramillo said. “He probably confused his feelings.”

The pastor said Gallardo's family is trying to find peace, turning to their faith to, hopefully, eventually heal their broken hearts.

“They're destroyed, totally. You just can't heal that, but we can just pray for them,” said Gramillo.

The pastor said Gallardo's family is praying for Silkey's family. He believes if both families would have communicated more with their children this could have possibly been prevented.