ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — A lesbian dance instructor was found murdered in her car in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Sunday, reported QueerRussia.

Ekaterina Khomenko, 29, who was known in the local LGBT community as an instructor of tango for same-sex couples, was found with a 9 cm slit in her throat. Police are now treating her death as murder, after an initial investigation suggested she had committed suicide.

Khomenko’s body was found on the morning of September 7 by a passing street cleaner; her car had its engine and headlights still on.

Her father claimed police initially quizzed him about money, drugs and suicidal tendencies, considering those as possible causes of her death.

The Russian group Coming Out LGBT said it was shocked by Khomenko’s murder: “Ekaterina was a wonderful person, a great professional, daughter and friend. We will remember her and what she had done – bestowed joy and wings to many of us.”