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Friends, former classmates gather to remember murdered Pitt student

GREENSBURG, Pa. — A young woman murdered in her Oakland home last week was remembered Monday night.

A vigil was held Monday night at Pitt-Greensburg for Alina Sheykhet.

Her friends and former classmates gathered at Pitt Greensburg on the Chambers Lawn to remember the 20-year-old who lost her life to domestic violence.

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The shock has subsided for her roommate, Zach Bradner. He told Channel 11 he and his roommates have since moved out of their Cable Place home in Oakland, where Sheykhet was murdered.

He says his lifelong goal now is to preserve her memory and spread awareness.

"If you're in a situation like that, seek help. It may not be what you want to do or what your friend might want, you need to seek the necessary things," Bradner said.

People in attendance lit candles and discussed the impact Sheykhet had on the community.

She went to school there before transferring to Pitt's main campus.

Her ex-boyfriend and suspected killer, Matthew Darby, also attended Pitt Greensburg and played basketball there.

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Channel 11 is checking with local lawmakers who say they were outraged by Alina's murder because she had a PFA against Darby.

He was served with that PFA just three days before police say he killed her.

Those same local lawmakers are trying to get legislation passed that would allow electronic monitoring of some PFA offenders.

Darby is in a South Carolina prison and it could be another week or two before he's brought back to Pittsburgh because he has to settle a loitering charge in Myrtle Beach before he can be extradited.

Pittsburgh police tried to interview Darby last week, but he refused to talk to them, according to detectives.

The proposed bill in Harrisburg could be named Alina's Law, if passed.