Obituaries
Young Microbiologist Killed In Montco Shooting Was 'Shining Light'
A scholarship has been launched to honor the life and legacy of the brilliant young woman, who police said was killed by her boyfriend.
WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA — The 25-year-old woman shot and killed in West Conshohocken last week was a 2022 University of Delaware graduate working as a microbiologist, according to her friends and family.
Alyssa Rose Wiest, of West Conshohocken, was remembered as a brilliant and passionate adventurer and scientist, a "shining light" who "loved her friends and family fiercely."
"She had an insatiable curiosity for the world and a deep love for traveling, always chasing the beauty in life’s big and small moments," her obituary notes. "Whether she was listening to her favorite songs, creating something breathtaking with her paintbrush, or simply being present with loved ones, Alyssa found joy and purpose in every day. Her artistic gifts and thoughtful nature reflected the depth of her inner world, and her organizational talents were matched only by her grace and humility."
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Wiest worked at Glaxo Smith Kline in King of Prussia. She earned her bachelors in biological science and cellular and molecular science 2022.
Related: 25-Year-Old West Conshohocken Woman Shot, Killed By Boyfriend: DA
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A GoFundMe has been launched to create scholarship in Alyssa's name: the Alyssa Rose STEM Scholarship.
Nearly $46,000 was raised to support the scholarship in a matter of days.
"Though Alyssa’s time on Earth was far too brief, her legacy of love, light, and laughter will live on in the hearts of all who knew her," her obituary added. "She touched countless lives with her kindness and strength. May we carry her memory forward by living as she did—with courage, compassion, and an unwavering zest for life."
Rose was shot and killed by her boyfriend of two years, Michael Dutkiewitcz, 26, of Warminster, just after midnight on May 18, police said.
Rose fled outside of her home on the 200 block of Moorehead Avenue when Dutkiewitcz pulled a gun. He then fired several shots, striking her and killing her on the sidewalk out front, according to officials.
Dutkiewitcz turned himself in to police the next morning and is awaiting a preliminary hearing.
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