SEATTLE — Friends and family of the 20-year-old woman found dead in her south Seattle Tuesday are mourning her loss and hoping for justice.
Court documents show Liliya Guyvoronsky was found dead inside her home Tuesday. Her friends called her Lily. KING 5 spoke with one of her friends who did not want to be identified.
"It's really hard to process the fact that she's gone. She's going to be really missed. It still feels like it's not real," her friend said.
Guyvoronsky's friends described her as strong-willed with a big heart.
"She loved God, she had a really big heart for people and she loved her family and friends deeply. She was a really outgoing and bright person. She lit up any room she went into," her friend said.
Guyvoronsky's friends said she loved animals and her pets more than anything and was the kind of friend you could always turn to.
"She was a really strong person. She overcame a lot of things early and she was just really strong and sweet," her friend said.
Guyvoronsky's friends said she had a lot of goals, including having a family one day.
"She had a lot of life left, and I always thought she was going to do great things," a friend said.
On Tuesday, Seattle police said her body was found inside her home. That's where former Bothell City Councilmember James McNeal was arrested. Court documents showed McNeal's attorney called 911 to report the possible crime. Investigators believe Guyvoronsky was strangled and in court documents said she likely had been dead for 24 hours before they were called.
Court documents also revealed investigators found a note written by Guyvoronsky dated Monday, April 29, 2024, which read, "Do not speak w/James today"
Her family and friends said she had been seeing him for the past five months but was trying to get away.
"She told us about how controlling he was and his rage outbursts and showed me how he would call 30 times in a row if she was sleeping," her friend said.
McNeal was scheduled to have a bail hearing on Thursday. However, McNeal did not appear in court, so the bail decision was pushed back to Friday. King County Prosecutors also have until Friday to make a rush-filed charging decision.
McNeal is currently in the King County Jail.
"Still trying to process and hoping and praying that justice will be served," Guyvoronsky's friend said.