Raleigh, N.C. — Family members say a manager found dead at a gas station on Trawick Road Thursday had been shot to death. Police are asking the public to come forward with information about the killing.

Relatives and police identified the victim as Stephanie Powell Anderson, 39.

Anderson’s boyfriend told WRAL he came to the store around 5 a.m. and found her slumped behind the counter. She had been shot, he said.

Authorities said someone inside the store pushed the “hold-up” alarm at 5:01 a.m., which alerted police. Officers arrived at 5:07 a.m., and Anderson was taken to WakeMed, where she was pronounced dead.  

Police said they were investigating her death as a homicide and were reviewing surveillance video. They declined to say how and when Anderson was killed.

Anderson's boyfriend said she opened the store each day at 4:30 a.m., and he typically stopped by each morning on his way to work.

Anderson's family prayed outside the store while while police searched for evidence.

Relatives described Anderson as a hard-working mother of three and the oldest of six siblings. She had just bought a new house close to work, her sister, Lachanda Powell, said.

"We're taking it hard, you know, because we didn't expect our oldest sister, my mom's oldest to get buried before her," Powell said. "We just lost our dad ... We're trying to keep it together for these kids. ... But it's hard for them to know how their mom passed away."

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Raleigh Police Department’s Detective Division at 919-890-3555 or Crime Stoppers at 919-226-CRIME.

Police said they were especially interested to hear from people who were in the area near the store between 4:30 and 5:15 a.m. who might have seen individuals, vehicles or suspicious activity.

"Whoever knows, they need to come forward. I won't sleep until I find out who did it," Powell said. "A heartless person did it."