San Francisco woman celebrating anniversary with husband in Mexico killed by stray bullet
MEXICO CITY (KTVU, AP) - Friends, family, and co-workers of a 27-year-old San Francisco woman shot and killed in Mexico City over the weekend are mourning her loss and remembering her as a beautiful, smart, funny and talented sister, daughter, and wife.
Tatiana Mirutenko was in Mexico with her husband, James Hoover, celebrating their first anniversary when she was hit by what appeared to be a stray bullet from a shooting at a taco restaurant in the wealthy neighborhood of Lomas de Chapultepec in the capital city.
Mexico City's prosecutor's office said Mirutenko was leaving the restaurant early Saturday when gunmen on a motorcycle fired at a man identified by authorities as a bouncer at a nearby bar. That man was injured, but survived.
Authorities said there was no indication the two victims knew each other. The attackers escaped.
"We extend our sincere condolences to friends and family members of the deceased. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City is providing all appropriate consular services to her family," the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs said in a statement to KTVU.
The last post Mirutenko made on Instagram was on July 1-- two photos from her wedding day, including a black and white of her and her husband kissing with the caption: "year 1," with a simple heart emoji to punctuate the post.
Mirutenko was a senior investor relations analyst at biopharmaceutical company, Nektar Therapeutics in San Francisco.
In a statement to KTVU the company said she will be incredibly missed and remembered her as a bright and passionate rising star and valued member of the team. "She was always willing to help on any project across the company and had an incredibly strong work ethic. Many throughout Nektar, and outside the company, valued her positive energy, insight and sheer enthusiasm for life."
The Illinois native was also an accomplished volleyball player and played for Clemson University in South Carolina.
Those at Sports Performance Volleyball Club in Aurora, Ill., where she was a 2009 alum, on Tuesday expressed their sadness over the tragedy.
"We were devastated to hear the news of Tatiana's death. It was heartbreaking to all of us in the Sports Performance family. She will be missed by all of those who had the pleasure to know her," the club's directors Rick and Cheryl Butler said.
Preparations are now under way for funeral services in Chicago.
In a Facebook post announcing the services, her sister Roma Vasolina wrote, "I’m at a loss of words for what she meant to me. Please come to pay your respects and hold us up with your happy and beautiful memories of my superwoman sister Tatiana."
Vasolina also posted a moving photo of her with her sister as two young girls, their faces smeared with ice cream with the words: "All I’d want for my birthday would be is one more ice cream cake with you."
Mirutenko's body is set to be flown back to Chicago on Wednesday. Her funeral and burial services are scheduled for Saturday.