Friend still in disbelief after woman stabbed to death

SALISBURY, N.C. — Eyewitness News has learned new details about the final hours before a Salisbury woman's death.

Police said Tasha West was killed Thursday by her boyfriend Tony Luther.

"I just can't believe anybody would do something like that. It wasn't love," Dorianne Molina said.

Molina told Eyewitness News that West was her best friend and roommate. She said she desperately tried for months to get West to leave her boyfriend Tony Luther.

Molina said West finally moved away from Luther and came to live with her, but she said Luther was angry and verbally insulted West almost daily.

"You'll never find anybody better than me. You'll never amount to anything without me," said Molina.

She said West wanted to move on with her life. She said West was working two jobs and taking classes online in criminal justice. Molina says Luther continued to communicate with West and on Thursday, West agreed to meet with him.

"I said why and she said because he wants to talk and I said Tasha just leave him alone don't go. Let it be done with," she said.

Later that night, police said Luther walked into the Rowan County Magistrate Office and confessed to murdering West.

Police found her body at an apartment just a mile away. They said she'd been stabbed to death.

According to police, Luther painted a cryptic message on the wall of the magistrate's office. It was a heart with the initials "TLT." Investigators said it was likely drawn in blood.

Police charged him with murder. He made his first appearance before a judge Friday. Molina was still in disbelief Saturday.

"She just wanted to be a happy person and get away from all the negativity," Molina said.

She said West had three small children. She said they weren't related to Luther and were living with their biological father.

WSOC