OTAY MESA, San Diego — Family and friends on Friday gathered to say their final goodbyes to 28-year-old Maribel Merino Ibañez who was shot and killed last week at an Otay Mesa Church's Chicken.
Maribel was an employee of Church’s Chicken for eight years and was working last Wednesday night when a man came in and attempted to use a counterfeit bill. When employees refused the man left and later returned with a gun taking aim at the three employees in the restaurant.
During a vigil last week, Maribel's mother said, "I want to give thanks to all of you that came here to be my support for my child. I have a lot of pain in my heart."
Maribel's uncle said, "One of the hopes we have as a family, that we will see her again. We will be with her in heaven, and it won't be too long that we will all be together."
Maribel was married earlier this year on March 12.
Police said they believed the gunman in Wednesday's deadly shooting was a regular customer of the Church's Chicken location.
Witnesses told police the shooter left the restaurant and fled in a dark, possibly dark blue, sedan.
Nine days after the deadly shooting, the manhunt for the gunman continues.
The shooter was described as a tall, thin black man in his early to mid-30s in a blue hooded sweatshirt with white sleeves and a blue Chargers-logo knit cap.
This week, the Church's Chicken reopened, a memorial at the restaurant was created while a picture of Maribel now hangs at the entrance of the eatery.
Two male employees were also shot. Mario Rojas remains in the hospital and Humberto Ruiz was released.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Mario with expenses.
A GoFundMe page to help the family with funeral expenses for Maribel describes the newlywed as a “loving daughter, sister and aunt.”