Universal City family mourns nurse, mother of five killed in murder-suicide

The family said Kristen Slack was happy and showed no signs of being in a domestic violence situation before she was killed

UNIVERSAL CITY, Texas – A Universal City family is mourning the devastating loss of their loved one after she was gunned down during a murder-suicide case Schertz police are currently investigating.

Kristen Slack, 45, was killed Saturday morning. She was a mother of five and a nurse.

“She was a good person,” said Susan Dolgener, her older sister. “She was very caring. She did exceptionally well with Alzheimer’s. She had this voice where she would always say, ‘It is ok.’”

Christian Gonzales, her oldest son, said he could tell she loved him and his siblings with all of her heart.

“She was a very empathetic person,” Gonzales said. “Easy to relate to. A people person. It is just terrible because he took her away from all of her children and I feel like crap dealing with it and I can’t imagine how my younger siblings feel.”

Dolgener said a detective delivered the news to her.

“I just started screaming and ran to my room and was like, ‘No! Oh my God! What! How!’ None of this makes any sense,” Dolgener said. “Nothing adds up. I don’t think anybody is prepared to ever hear those words, ‘Murder suicide.’ It doesn’t feel like it is real.”

The family said Slack had not been in a relationship with the suspect, Todd Danhof, long and that they didn’t see any indications of violence.

“The last times I messaged her, she just seemed happy with him and praised him and wanted me to meet him,” Gonzales said. “That is why none of this makes any sense.”

The family said they are currently making funeral arrangements. They said as they take things a day at a time, they are going to stay faithful through this time of suffering.

“You take for granted people in your life,” Gonzales said. “You think they are always going to be there and don’t think events like this is going to happen. You have to cherish every moment with people because you never know when they will be taken away from you. I have no ill-will towards Todd’s family. I know they are going to have to live with what he did. We just have to stay strong and be there for each other as we get through this.”

RELATED: Man, woman killed in apparent murder-suicide in Schertz identified


About the Authors:

Japhanie Gray joined 10 News as an anchor in March 2022.

Joe Arredondo is a photojournalist at KSAT 12.