Nearly a year and a half after police believe she was killed by her ex-boyfriend, Alexis Gabe was laid to rest in Concord Saturday.
Gabe was 23 years old when she disappeared in January of 2022.
When NBC Bay Area first spoke to Alexis Gabe's family last year, they were still hoping to bring her home alive. Friends, family, and volunteers carried out extensive search efforts for her. In June of 2022, police announced they believe Gabe had been murdered back in January.
Gabe's family is holding a memorial now because her remains have finally been returned to her family.
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"It's hard, but I'm glad that we're here today, we're here to lay her to rest," said Gwyn Gabe, Alexis' father, explaining that her family has been waiting months to get her remains back.
About 50 friends and family members came together for a memorial service.
Gabe’s family said that investigating agencies in Chico, Amador, and Contra Costa counties have wrapped up their forensic work and released her remains.
Her father Gwyn Gabe acknowledges that he has always been protective of Alexis and it breaks his heart knowing what happened.
“The things that I've been scared of, the things that I have been trying to protect her from, what might happen to her, [that] did happen to her," Gwyn Gabe said.
He also noted that only 75% of his daughter's remains have been recovered and his family is still pushing to find the rest.
The Gabe family is also seeking more answers about Alexis' death.
"It's going to be tiring for sure, but we're not going to stop until we get that justice for her," Gwyn Gabe said.
At the memorial Saturday, loved ones shared memories of Alexis Gabe.
Feliza Juarez said she met Alexis in math class and the two became friends.
"There's never been anyone like Alexis, she is just this ball of light and I know her energy and her spirit is still here with us," Juarez said.
Police announced in June of 2022 that they believe Alexis' ex-boyfriend Marshall Curtis Jones of Antioch, killed Alexis at his home on or about January 26, 2022.
Back in June of 2022, Jones himself was killed by Seattle-area officers when they attempted to arrest him.
In the fall of 2022, investigators announced that Gabe's partial remains were found in Amador County.
