‘A devoted mother’: Loved ones mourn, remember mother killed over alleged custody dispute

Loved ones are remembering a mother, who was allegedly killed over a custody dispute.

The father of her child, Duane Dushon Moore, 42, is now behind bars.

“My brain actually refuses to believe that my mom is gone,” said Vallee’s son.

Dozens gathered Saturday night, one week later, in front of the apartment where Vallee was murdered.

Kayla Vallee, 40, was supposed to pick up her son from his father in University Place last Saturday, December 9. Vallee never returned.

Police found her dead at his apartment after her family requested a welfare check.

“I said Kayla, please, please don’t go in that apartment by yourself. Take somebody with you,” said Vallee’s mother, Christine Kingsbury.

Kingsbury had a gut feeling something bad would happen by coming to her ex’s apartment. She told KIRO 7 that Vallee had dealt with domestic violence issues in the past.

She said Vallee was heading to Moore’s apartment alone to discuss custody of their son.

“She was never allowed in this apartment before. So all of a sudden, he was going to let her in,” Kingsbury explained.

Kingsbury says she knew something was wrong when Moore dropped off his son at their home, with no signs of Vallee.

According to court documents, Moore told his son that he would be going to prison and wouldn’t see him again.

“When I called the cops and said, there’s something wrong, her son is here. She’s not answering. And they said, well, it’s a civil dispute. We can’t do anything. And I said, No, you’re going to do something,” said Thomas Proulx, Vallee’s stepfather.

When deputies responded to their welfare check request, they found Vallee dead in the apartment with multiple gunshot wounds.

“She should have been more nervous going in there, but she just wanted her son back,” said Kingsbury.

She says it’s a true testament to who Vallee was-- a loving mother taken too soon.

“She helped everybody and anybody that she possibly could with anything that she possibly could. She was a devoted mother. She loved her kids to the point where she, I believe was blinded by this,” said Kingsbury.

Vallee’s family wants to spread awareness about the dangers of domestic violence.

“And we pray that something that will be done about domestic violence. That families don’t have to come together like this,” said Delilah Kieffer, Vallee’s Aunt.

Moore faces first-degree murder charges by the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office.

He’s being held on $1 million bail. Moore is expected back in court on January 3.