Casper residents honor Kandice Gunter with street vigil
Family members and community members gathered at David Street Station to share memories of the 30-year-old woman who died in a Nov. 1 crash.
By Simon Bennett ·
Friends and family members of Kandice Taylor Gunter gathered at David Street Station on Friday night to hold a vigil. The group shared personal stories and photographs to honor the 30-year-old woman who was found deceased on Nov. 1.
Gunter was reported missing on Oct. 29. Her vehicle was discovered after it crashed over a guardrail near Lookout Point. The Casper Police Department and the Wyoming Highway Patrol continue to investigate the incident. Police stated on Nov. 8 that there is no evidence to suggest foul play.
Stacy and Bobby Koester, founders of the Gillette-based organization WyoFind, helped organize the event. Among those who traveled from Nevada, Gunter’s home state, were her sister Kayla and Taylor Villegas, whom she considered an adopted sister. They joined Casper native Tyler Kentopp on stage to speak about their relationship with Gunter.
Kentopp recalled meeting Gunter on Aug. 15, 2013, while they were attending school in Nevada. He described her as his first love and best friend. The couple had returned to Casper about a month before her death to seek a fresh start and stability for their two children, Violett and Penelope.
“There’s no way I could have made through this week without her family,” Kentopp said. He noted that a medical emergency about two years prior changed Gunter’s outlook on life. He said positive changes in her career and personal life followed that event. “Everything just started to become a positive for her after that,” he told reporters.
Villegas shared a memory of an Easter morning when Gunter was throwing hard-boiled eggs at her and Kayla. Villegas decided to retaliate by winding up a throw through the doorway Gunter would enter. “The door flies open, and I freaking nail it,” Villegas said. The egg struck Tracy, Gunter’s father, in the forehead.
Violett, Gunter’s oldest daughter, also addressed the crowd. “She was a really important person in my life,” Violett said. She recalled that her mother mirrored her emotions, crying when she cried and laughing when she laughed. “She loved me and Penelope equally, cause we’re sisters, you know,” Violett added.
