OGDEN — A Holladay woman was killed early Saturday during a fight with her partner, police said.
Officers received a 911 call to a parking lot at 2484 E Ave. in Ogden about 1 a.m. where they found Victoria Ashley Mendoza and the victim, Tawnee Maria Baird, who had been stabbed to death, said Ogden Police Lt. Tim Scott.
The couple had been visiting friends in Ogden and apparently began to argue in the car as they began driving home. They pulled into the parking lot where the fight escalated and Baird was killed.
"It was a violent, tumultuous encounter," Scott said.
Mendoza called a family member who showed up at the scene and called 911.
"We were actually responding on a call of a murder or someone wanting to turn themselves in for a murder," Scott said.
He said he couldn't say what the fight was about, but it did "culminate and lead to this incident where Ms. Mendoza did stab her partner."
Mendoza, 22, and Baird, 21, had apparently been in a relationship for five years and lived together in Holladay, the lieutenant said. Investigators were doing background checks to see if the two women had any history of domestic violence.
Mendoza was booked into the Weber County Jail for investigation of murder and was being held without bail.
A relative said Baird was a student at Salt Lake Community College.
Baird's father, Casey Baird, said on his Facebook page he was flying back to Salt Lake City from Alabama Saturday after receiving the news of her death. He wrote that his daughter — "my best friend" — was murdered by a woman "that all of us tried to help."
"I love my lady bug more than I love myself," he wrote. Then in an angry, graphic post apparently aimed at Mendoza, he added: "Don't try insanity plea!!! In fact I don't even want the death penalty!!!! I want you to sit in a … prison cell and have plenty of time to rottttt!"
Scott said an incident like Saturday's doesn't have to happen.
"If anyone knows anyone in a violent domestic situation, feel free to report it to law enforcement so we can intervene before something like this takes place," he said.
Contributing: Sandra Yi
Email: romboy@deseretnews.com, Twitter: dennisromboy; DNewsCrimeTeam