Michelle Young's death marked with graveside memorial

Family and friends gathered Sunday at the grave of a mother found slain in her Raleigh home on the second anniversary of her death.

Posted 3:05 p.m. Nov 2, 2008 — Updated 8:00 p.m. Nov 3, 2008

RALEIGH, N.C. — Family and friends gathered Sunday at the grave of a mother found slain in her Raleigh home on the second anniversary of her death.

Michelle Young, 29, was five months' pregnant when her sister found her lying face down on Nov. 3, 2006, inside her home at 5108 Birchleaf Drive. Her then-2-year-old daughter, Cassidy, was at her side and unharmed. An autopsy showed she had been beaten to death.

Michelle Young's mother, Linda Fisher, traveled from New York to join several dozen people at the noon service held at Wake Memorial Park in Cary. Those with whom WRAL News spoke with said they want everyone to know that Michelle Young has not been forgotten.

“There are so many things I could say about Michelle, I don't know where to begin,” Fisher said.

For the first time, Michelle Young's mother and sister unveiled the gravestone for her and her unborn child, Rylan.

“There's just not enough room on a headstone to write everything wonderful about Michelle,” Fisher said.

Police have not made any arrests in Michelle Young's death, but search warrants point to her husband, Jason Young, as a focus of the investigation. However, he has never been called a suspect or person of interest and told investigators that he was on a business trip in Virginia when his wife's body was found.

“We're hoping that justice will happen soon (and) that they'll find who murdered her. So we can put at least that part behind us,” friend Carol Nelson said.

Jason Young has since moved with Cassidy to western North Carolina, where his family lives.

Progress Energy, Young's employer, has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the case.

Anyone with information about Young's death should contact the Wake County Sheriff's Office at 919-856-6800.

A memorial fund has also been set up for Cassidy. Contributions can be made at any Bank of America or sent to The Michelle Young Memorial Fund, Bank of America, 1335 E. Broad St., Fuquay-Varina, N.C. 27526.

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