HOUSTON – The Houston Area Women’s Center released a statement on the death of Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a Rice University student who was found dead Monday in what appears to be a murder-suicide orchestrated by her partner.

“Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior to gain or maintain power and control over another person. We must face the fact that this public health crisis affects us all. One life is far too many,“ said part of the statement.

The statement also addressed the particularly dangerous role that firearms can play in cases of domestic violence. A study by National Center for Biotechnology Information concluded that the presence of a firearm in an abusive relationship can increase the risk of death by 500%,

“Andrea, a student at Rice University, was a victim of domestic violence and lost her life to her boyfriend’s gun violence. In Texas, guns are were responsible for 73% of the deaths identified as a result of domestic violence for the period 2019-2022”, the explanation continued.

Avila’s family arrived in Houston Tuesday morning and received support from Rice’s leadership team. The family asked for privacy while they mourn their loss.

Planning and prioritizing safety can reduce the risk of future harm from an abusive partner.

“Remember, you are not alone, the abuse is not your fault and no one deserves to be in an abusive relationship.” was the explanation.

Anyone currently experiencing or fearing domestic violence is asked to report it via the 24/7 hotline at 713-528-2121 or live chat on the HAWC website.

KPRC 2 News has created a series, “Break out”, which covers domestic violence and its horrific consequences. The series presented various stories of survival, heartbreak, and some even ending in death, but each included a list of free resources on domestic violence explaining how to get help.

Know someone who needs help? KPRC 2 has published the following features in Breaking Free.

If you need immediate help, you can also call the following numbers:

• If you are in immediate danger, call 911.