NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Family members are remembering a Nashville woman whose body was found burned along Interstate 90 in Pennsylvania on Nov. 10. Now, Pennsylvania State Police are in town following leads amid the murder investigation.
The victim, Michelle Tayse, 48, died from multiple stab wounds, according to an autopsy report. It’s unclear where the homicide happened, according to a police spokesperson.
Tayse grew up in East Nashville. The Metro Nashville Police Department said they’re currently assisting the Pennsylvania troopers who traveled to Tennessee as part of their investigation.
"No family should have to go through what we’re going through," Sears said.
Michelle's cousin, Jamie Tayse Sears, said it's been rough.
"We lost her brother not even a year ago, and now we’re having to deal with this," Sears said. "It’s very traumatic."
"She was fun, she was loving, she was wild, she was crazy," Sears said.
Michelle loved her 93-year-old grandmother, her seven kids, and four grandchildren.
"If you guys knew her, she would take the shirt off her back for you even though she maybe didn’t have enough clothes for herself," Sears said.
Jamie believes Michelle likely fought her killer to survive for her family.
"She had broken her ankle a couple of weeks before this, so she did have like a cast on, so was she able to run? Probably not." Sears said.
They hope she will be remembered as someone who was caring and willing to help others.
“As she’s gotten older, she was changing for the better, and I hate that it had to end this way,” Sears said.
If you know anything about what happened to Michelle, call Pennsylvania State Police at 814-898-1641 or Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers at 1-800-4PA-TIPS oronline here.
There’s also a GoFundMe page to help her children.
