The family and acquaintances of murder victim Sheree Allen, whose body was found discarded in a garbage bin earlier this week, are remembering how she always had many friends and was fun to be around.
"She was an outgoing person. She was always fun. She loved to dance," Allen's mother said.
Allen was born in Cincinnati and moved to Utah with her family in 1989. She attended West High School, where she played flute in the band.
Allen had young children, her mother said, and she loved them.
Allen's body was found Monday night behind a strip mall near 1500 West and 3500 South. Her body was found intact inside a large bag, curled in a fetal position.
The state medical examiner has determined a cause of death but police have not released that information yet. No arrests had been made as of Thursday night.
West Valley police Thursday said they had received a number of tips but none have panned out.
Those who knew Allen at Catholic Community Services, 235 S. Rio Grande, remembered her as a nice person who always had a smile or a nice word for someone.
Jim Upton, director of emergency services at the center said it has been a little upsetting to see media reports focusing on Allen's past problems, almost as if it was being used to justify her being murdered and left in a Dumpster.
"Nobody deserves to have that done to them," he said. "It was sad. There were a lot of tears down here."
Allen had a criminal past and had a warrant out for her arrest at the time of her death, a history of substance abuse and was considered chronically homeless.
But Upton said Allen was clean and sober the last three or four times he saw her. The last time he saw Allen was about two weeks ago, he said. Upton said she was apparently trying hard to clean herself up, something that isn't easy for anyone.
"This is a hard life down here," he said.
Another woman who was known at Catholic Community Services was murdered about a year ago and her body found abandoned in a car, Upton said.
Anyone with information on Allen is asked to call West Valley police at 840-4000.
Contributing: Laura Hancock
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com