PORTLAND, Maine — It has been more than two months since Bethany Kelley, 23, was found dead in Portland and police ruled her death a homicide. Since then, there have been no updates regarding who may have killed her or how she died.
On Sunday evening, about two dozen people gathered in the city's Monument Square for a candlelight vigil to honor her death and call for answers as to who killed her.
"We are done dealing with this," Shay Dufour, an advocate for unhoused people, said. "We as the public have a right to know what happened, what is going on."
Dufour said she is frustrated more hasn't been done in the investigation by Portland Police. A spokesperson from the Portland Police Department told NEWS CENTER Maine Sunday night the investigation is still active but did not provide any other details.
"If Bethany was well-known, well-to-do, or had a wealthy family, her death would be closed and shut," Dufour argued. "We would find out who killed her, and it would be done. Two months later and we still don't know who has killed Bethany."
People in attendance at the vigil who said they knew Bethany said she loved music and dancing.
Leighana Parmenter, who works at a local shelter, said she worked with Kelley until she was found dead.
"I didn't know her very long, but she had a big impact on me. It was hard to break down her barriers," Parmenter said. "Being unhoused is a really painful and traumatic experience. When you are in that situation, letting people in is not easy. She had a lot of love for the people in her life. I loved being around her. She was goofy and always listening to music and laughing and dancing, and it was a really big loss for me and the rest of the community I work with."