Kristin Nicole Spear Mendez, 33, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was shot and killed on the night of May 8, 2021. Officers responded to a report of a gunshot in the 300 block of Peden Street and found her unresponsive in a side yard; Forsyth County Emergency Medical Services pronounced her dead at the scene.

Kristin was born May 5, 1988, in Forsyth County to Randall Spear and Tracy Estep. She is survived by her parents, four children, a brother, a sister and other relatives. Authorities arrested her boyfriend, Willie Junior Snuggs, who was found inside the home and charged with murder; he was being held in the Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center without bond while the investigation continued.

Her family and community remember her for a vibrant personality, a beautiful smile and a contagious laugh. If anyone has information about what happened that night, please contact the Winston-Salem Police Department or Crime Stoppers.